Nurses will begin protesting outside hospital A&E departments in two weeks in an attempt to highlight overcrowding in the units.
The protests by members of the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) will begin outside Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, and Wexford General Hospital on Thursday, April 7th.
There were more than 40 patients on trolleys in A&E in both these hospitals yesterday, and across the State, the INO said, there were 345 patients on trolleys.
Dave Hughes, INO deputy general secretary, said the decision to begin lunchtime protests had been taken by the union's executive council when it met yesterday.
He said it had postponed protests last month after meeting Minister for Health Mary Harney, who promised there would be significant improvements in the A&E situation this month. The reality was that the situation was getting worse.
The union's protests will take place each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the month of April, with one Dublin and one provincial hospital being involved each day.
The situation will then be reviewed at the organisation's annual conference in Killarney during the first week of May.
The INO is writing to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and all other health service unions seeking their support. It has also called for the support of patient interest groups and the public.
Mr Hughes pointed out that Ms Harney, on taking up office, said the number of people waiting on trolleys was unacceptable and could not be allowed to continue. However, it was continuing.
He said that "aside from singing a mantra that the Tánaiste's 10-point plan will solve the problem", there was no real evidence of priority action on the A&E issue.
The Department of Health has insisted Ms Harney's €70 million, 10-point plan aimed at alleviating the A&E crisis is on track, and will result in significant improvements in A&E conditions in coming weeks.