Almost 100 patients on trolleys in Mayo and the west

There were almost 100 patients on trolleys at the four hospitals in the west this morning.

A total of 17 patients were awaiting a bed at Mayo University Hospital with six in the emergency department and 11 elsewhere, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

Meanwhile, Sligo University Hospital had 24 patients on trolleys and chairs with 14 of those in the emergency department.

University Hospital Galway had 45 patients awaiting a bed and there were 10 patients languishing on trolleys and chairs at Portiuncula Hospital in county Galway.

In total, across the western region, there were 96 patients on trolleys.

the Trolley Watch figures that have been compiled by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation since 2006.

Nationally there were 534 patients waiting for beds this morning with 400 of those in the emergency departments while 134 were in wards elsewhere in the hospitals.

The worst performing hospital was University Hospital Limerick with 88 patients on trolleys, with Cork University Hospital second on the list with 49 impacted patients.

University Hospital Galway was the third most overcrowded facility in the country.

The number of patients on trolleys at MUH has fallen marginally since there were 21 awaiting a bed one week ago.

There were 18 patients on trolleys at the Castlebar facility on Thursday and 11 awaiting a bed on Friday.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha described the 'level of overcrowding across hospitals as "incredibly dangerous" in recent weeks.