Retired nurses may return to hospitals to help cope with coronavirus

Talks are taking place between the HSE and unions over retired nurses returning to do hospital shifts to cope with coronavirus.

175 healthcare staff at Cork and Limerick University Hospitals are in self-isolation after cases of the virus.

Multiple hospitals have imposed strict visitor restrictions and some are rescheduling and reducing outpatient appointments.

General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), Phil Ní Sheaghdha, says there are some issues with retired staff coming back.

"We have had some discussion with the HSE around this, I think there is a couple of issues with it," said Ms Ní Sheaghdha.

"First of all, retired staff by virtue of their age are going to be in a category that is deemed to be one of the at risk categories.

"I think the health service will have to think very carefully about that. They will have to look to areas where people were not exposed or in an at risk category.

"So there is no one simple solution."

According to INMO figures, there were 234 patients waiting on beds this morning.

The worst hit hospital today is Sligo University Hospital with 23 patients waiting on beds followed by Letterkenny University Hospital and St Vincent's University Hospital each with 18.