There are warnings elective care could be suspended in the new year, as hospitals face increasing pressure this winter.
The interim CEO of the HSE says he can't guarantee emergency departments won't see record numbers on trolleys in the coming months.
495 patients are waiting on trolleys in hospitals around the country today - 62 of whom are in Cork University Hospital - the second most overcrowded hospital in the country.
Stephen Mulvany, says any suspension of elective procedures will be as short-lived as possible:
"We have to be realistic. There will most likely come a point early in the New Year, as happened in many jurisdictions, where we will temporarily have to curtail some of our scheduled activity for a period, but we will get that back on track as early as possible, and we will continue to improve waiting lists".
