The general president of the trade union Siptu has criticised remarks made by Minister for Health Mary Harney about the use of trolleys as an alternative to beds in hospitals, saying he hopes they do not reflect a view by the Government that current conditions represent an "acceptable standard".
Ms Harney told the Dáil this week that she knew someone who had been treated on a trolley in hospital who found the experience a "pleasant" one.
Siptu general secretary Jack O'Connor today said Ms Harney's "controversial" comments were "strongly criticised" at today's meeting of the union's national executive.
Siptu is the country's largest health service union, representing paramedics, nurses and non-nursing grades such as care assistants, caterers, porters and cleaners.
Mr O'Connor said the union's members feel "extremely angry about the Minister's blasé comments on trolleys in the continuing crisis".
"I do not wish to personalise the issue and there has already been a lot of public criticism on the insensitivity of her remarks," he said.
"However, I am concerned at the subliminal message they send out that the Minister and the Government now regard as acceptable the widespread use of trolleys to substitute for the massive shortfall in hospital bed targets set five years ago."
Mr O'Connor said the union had "disagreed totally" with the Government response to the issues raised by the health crisis, such as the decision to promote the co-location of private, for-profit hospitals, on public lands.
"But at least up until now the Government accepted the situation was critical. I hope the Minister's latest comments were not meant to trivialise the difficulties thousands of patients' experience every day when they have to go to hospital," he said.
"I most certainly hope the Minister's comments do not reflect the Government's view that present conditions in our hospitals represent an acceptable standard."