Medical staff hit out at A&E attacks

Nurses who work in the country's A&E departments say physical abuse towards them will not be tolerated over the festive season.

This is one of the worst times of year for attacks on medical staff in accident and emergency.

Alan O'Riordan, who works as a nurse at Dublin's Tallaght Hospital, said Christmas can be a tough time of year.

"Certainly when there’s drugs and alcohol involved, aggressive behaviour can, very often, turn into physical aggression, and it’s very hard to talk anyone down in that situation…They will turn violent and assault you," she said.