The Health Service Executive (HSE) has called on management at Dublin's St James's Hospital to explain the cancellation of planned surgeries over the past week despite increased capacity at the hospital.
Hospital management has blamed a shortage of recovery beds in its operating theatres for the cancellation of some 20 planned surgeries over the last week.
The bed shortage has left intensive care beds full, with recovery beds in operating theatres also having to be used for patients in need of intensive care.
The HSE said in a statement it was "aware" of the problems at the hospital and that "immediate" support has been offered to fast-track post acute patients to other locations. It also said it has offered assistance in upgrading beds within the hospital to provide higher dependency capacity.
However, the HSE said that over the last three years ICU capacity at the hospital has increased by more than 50 per cent, after the hospital sought "a solution to capacity difficulties."
The Executive has now called on management to explain "why these difficulties have resurfaced at this time."
Meanwhile, the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) has called for systems to be put in place to avoid such a crisis which it said was predictable due to increased activity increases at this time of year.
INO Industrial Relations Officer, Phil Ní Shéaghdha said: "We now have dangerous levels of overcrowding particularly in St James's Hospital which sees practically all work locations working over capacity and in this case intensively ill patients being nursed and cared for outside of the intensive care unit.
"Extra bed capacity is the only answer to this problem and steps must be taken by the HSE to provide more beds as a matter of urgency."
Labour Party health spokesperson Liz McManus said: "It is absolutely ridiculous that such procedures cannot take place on schedule when the consultant has recommended and when both patient and surgeon are ready for want of an intensive care bed that is required post-op."
The HSE has said it is conducting a national Bed Capacity Review which it says will include assessment of critical care bed needs.