Taoiseach: Ambulance queues outside hospitals 'could happen here'

Medical staff attending patients as ambulances queue at Antrim Area Hospital in Northern Ireland.

Queues of ambulances outside Northern Ireland hospitals could become a reality here, the Taoiseach has warned.

The Government is to provide greater supports to border counties as the high levels of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland are now "a matter of grave concern".

Levels of the virus are significantly higher in the North, which has resulted in queues of ambulances outside several hospitals which are struggling to cope.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the rapidly deteriorating situation in the North as "very very worrying and very concerning".

"I think it's important just to say that we are in solidarity with the people of Northern Ireland who are going through a very difficult time right now," he told the Dáil.

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the situation in the North as "very very worrying and very concerning"

He added that the spiralling cases across the border "illustrate the exponential growth of this virus once it gets to a certain critical level".

What we are witnessing in Northern Ireland could happen here if we allow things to go out of control, which we're not going to do

Mr Martin said the rate of infection is higher in border areas and the Government will now act to contain and manage this.

"We're looking at how we can provide greater support and protection, and whatever measures we have to take in the border counties," he said.

Mr Martin added that "it is to be regretted that we didn't have complete alignment in terms of restrictions".

Covid-19 will be discussed at virtual North-South ministerial meeting on Friday and officials and clinicians are in regular contact with their counterparts in the North, the Taoiseach told the Dáil.

Labour Party Leader Alan Kelly said the level of the virus in Northern Ireland is "alarming".

Labour leader Alan Kelly suggested that we have reached a point where the Government "needs to say very clearly that the capacity of the Executive and the way in which they're dealing with this crisis isn't working".

He said the level of the virus in Northern Ireland is "alarming" and is having a knock-on impact on the border counties.

"It's deeply concerning to see ambulances being parked outside hospitals in rows and people being treated in those circumstances where the engines are being left running," Mr Kelly said.

Calling on the Government to take action, he said: "I'm deeply concerned about how the Executive there made up of Sinn Féin and DUP are actually dealing with this issue because it has consequences for us all on the rest of the island."