Talks are being held at the Workplace Relations Commission today in an attempt to resolve the overcrowding crisis in Emergency Departments.
It's the first review of an agreement aimed at averting strike action by nurses and follows an 18% rise in patients waiting on trolleys in the first two weeks of this month.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is seeking faster implementation of an agreement to deal with Emergency Department overcrowding.
The agreement, which emerged from WRC talks to avert nationwide industrial action, contains a number of elements all designed to minimise ED overcrowding and improve the environment for patients and nursing staff.
Today's review at the Workplace Relations Commission follows an 18% rise in overcrowding at hospitals around the country in the past two weeks, compared to the same period last year.
But Barefield Councillor Ann Norton, who's a member of the HSE's Regional Health Forum West fears it will have little impact on the problem:
Today has seen a significant drop in the level of overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick with only 8 people waiting for beds in the Emergency Department.
But, figures show that a further 19 are continuing to wait on trolleys in overflow areas of wards.
The INMO says a 7% increase in the number of people attending EDs combined with an influenza outbreak and a higher number of what's known as the "frail elderly" attending has led to the unprecendented levels of overcrowding in the first three months of the year.
General Secretary, Liam Doran fears that despite today's figures, the issue will continue over the coming days.
An Ennis man who experienced what he describes as "Pandemonium" at the region's main hospital this weekend insists its time to "call a halt" to overcrowding by re-opening Ennis and Nenagh Emergency Departments for part of the day.
James Wiley's wife was referred to University Hospital Limerick by her GP on Friday where she had to wait 12 hours before being seen by a doctor and a further 36 hours for a bed.
James, who's son's life was saved at Ennis General Hospital as a child, he feels the facility has a part to play in resolving the overcrowding crisis.
