81 people without beds at University Hospital Limerick

There are 573 patients being treated on trolleys at hospitals nationwide, including 81 at University Hospital Limerick alone.

The figures were released by the INMO as part of their trolley watch update.

It is the second-highest figure seen at UHL this year, following the record-breaking 92 people on trolleys on January 6.

Elsewhere there are 53 patients on trolleys at Cork University Hospital, followed by 34 at Letterkenny University Hospital.

The INMO said that today’s figure brings the number of patients on trolleys in UHL so far this year up to 2,243, making it 27% higher than the same period in 2019 (1,761).

"This is the fourth time this month we have seen more than 70 people lining the corridors of UHL while they wait for a hospital bed," said Mary Fogarty, the INMO's Assistant Director of Industrial Relations.

"This is simply down to lack of capacity in our local health service.

"We need more hospital beds, more community care and for all obstacles to recruiting staff to be removed immediately.

"The current situation is unsafe, unsustainable and completely avoidable.

"As long as the recruitment freeze continues patients will suffer."