SIPTU: Hospital conditions 'intolerable' for patients

The Health Minister James Reilly has met with a delegation of nurses from Limerick's Mid Western Regional Hospital.

Dozens of members of the INMO and SIPTU staged a protest outside Leinster House this afternoon to highlight overcrowding at the hospital.

They say there are up to 35 patients on trollies every day in the Accident and Emergency Department.

Louise O'Reilly from SIPTU says nurses want the crisis in the Mid West Regional alleviated without delay.

Ms O'Reilly said: "Our members are working in intolerable conditions. They are intolerable for the patients they are looking after and the minuister needs to act to ensure patient safety.

"Unfortunately we engaged in disputes locally and we did engage with the HSE, but we had to bring it up to Dublin now because we need to put it on the national agenda for this government and this minister."