There's a call on the Health Minister to use private health capacity to relieve pressure on public hospitals.
Sinn Fein's health spokesperson, David Cullinane is making the call, after 667 patients with covid 19 were in Irish hospitals yesterday.
It comes as frontline workers are warning overcrowding will get worse in the next few weeks, according to the Irish Daily Mail.
Deputy Cullinane says Minister Stephen Donnelly must take immediate action:
"Well, I think it's really important that the minister intervenes really quickly. I haven't heard much from the minister over the last number of weeks. Obviously it's the Christmas-time period and we're going into the New Year, but those on the front line have had no break whatsoever. It's been chaotic in our hospitals. So the Minister obviously has to roll his own sleeves up and ensure that whatever can be done is being done. I don't see enough of that happening".
