The Public Expenditure Minister says a plan to tackle hospital overcrowding this winter is to be launched in the coming weeks.
Michael McGrath was speaking on a visit to Cork City today as the level of overcrowding at Cork University Hospital starts to reach pre-pandemic levels.
The INMO is warning that infection control is impossible with the current level of people on trolleys and say they have genuine concerns about the safety of patients and staff.
Speaking to RedFM News, Minister Michael McGrath says this years plan is being brought forward by a number of weeks.
"It is quite challenging at the moment and there's no doubt about that. I hear that from medical professionals working at the hospitals.
"The key thing is for a winter plan to be brought forward by Minister Donnelly and the HSE, and I expect that to happen quite shortly.
"Last year we had a very comprehensive winter plan with public money of €600m to back it up. That undoubtedly made a real difference over the course of last winter."
