The Irish Nurses' Organisation yesterday threatened to take industrial action to stop the "abuse" of patients having to lie for days on trolleys in overcrowded emergency wards. The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, admitted steps would have to be taken to relieve the pressure on emergency departments.
The INO vice-president, Ms Maura Hickey, said her message to the Minister was: "We are going to cause you to curtail services until suitable strategies are put in place."
Ms Nuala Richardson said that at Letterkenny General Hospital the emergency department had once become so overcrowded staff had to trigger the major accident and emergency plan - designed to cope with disasters - to clear beds.
An INO survey in the eastern region this year found that in two hospitals patients had to wait an average of 48 hours in accident and emergency for beds to come available after a decision had been made to admit them.
Mr Martin told delegates there would be new emergency departments in two to three years. But he admitted: "We have got to take interim steps to relieve the pressures under which you are working."