67 patients are waiting for a bed in University Hospital Limerick; 34 of these are in the emergency department.

The figures published by the European Commission show there were 291 hospital beds per 100,000 people in the Republic in 2022 compared to the EU average of 516.

Stephen Donnelly said that if consultants’ productivity increased to previous levels, outpatient waiting lists would be ‘eradicated’.

The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly has previously announced plans to open 147 additional acute beds in 2024. 

The ESRI said 300 additional hospital beds are needed each year to keep up with population growth