Nurses group records dozens of kids waiting in Irish emergency departments today (Dec 20)

Almost 700 patients are waiting for beds at Irish hospitals today (December 20). 

That's according to the latest Trolley Watch report from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), which reveals a significant number of admitted patients are waiting at University Hospital Limerick (94) and Cork University Hospital (71) in particular. 

Over 560 patients are waiting in overcrowded emergency departments nationwide (including 42 children), while 130 are in wards elsewhere. 

The figure marks a slight decrease on the 760 patients recorded at Irish hospitals yesterday (December 19), a number that INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha called "unacceptably high". 

Fourteen children were waiting at National Children's Hospital Tallaght this morning, with 17 in Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, and 11 at Temple Street Children's Hospital. 

One other child under the age of 16 was recorded in the emergency department at Cork University Hospital. 

Just two hospitals nationwide are free from overcrowding today (Our Lady's Hospital Navan and Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore). 

Speaking yesterday, Ms Ní Sheaghdha said, "The INMO has been calling on the HSE and Government to take extraordinary measures including the complete use of private hospitals and curtailment of non-urgent elective care since the summer, it is not too late to bring private hospitals on the pitch. We cannot accept this level of unsafety for patients and staff. 

"Behind these figures are patients who are being stripped of their dignity and privacy while being deemed sick enough to be admitted to hospital. We know that more often than not our members are working in conditions that are unsafely staffed, meaning that providing safe care in an overcrowded environment is impossible." 

She went on to call for "serious and immediate" intervention from the Taoiseach.