Use of trolleys in hospitals under committee spotlight

The issue of patients being forced to wait for treatment on hospital trolleys for long periods of time will come under the spotlight today.

The chief executive of HIQA Dr Tracey Cooper is due to appear before a health committee to discuss the matter.

Her appearance comes after a report into the death of a man in a corridor at Dublin's Tallaght Hospital last year, which raised serious concerns over the running of the facility.

Health committee chairman Jerry Buttimer said: "We will be probing HIQA with questions on how we can ensure that what happened never happens again.

"Patients (must have) access to a health system where they can are confident that they can receive quality care in a safe environment."