Beaumont Hospital in Dublin has taken issue with comments made by the Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, during a visit to the facility earlier today.
Mr Rabbitte said at 3 p.m. today there was a queue for trolleys in the hospital and that in the Accident and Emergency department this afternoon, five patients were waiting in armchairs for urgent treatment, because a further twenty five were occupying the trolleys.
"For all forms of in-patient non-emergency treatment in the hospital, there are more than 2,000 people waiting. Three times that many - more than 9,000 people - have appointments for out-patient care. Many of those appointments are a year away," Mr Rabbitte said.
But in a statement issued this evening the hospital said: "We feel that the picture presented by Deputy Rabitte fails to accurately reflect the patterns of activity in the hospital.
"To take just one example, Deputy Rabitte states that more than 9,000 people have appointments for out-patient care. This is quite true, but we would point out that up to 500 patients will be seen tomorrow and up to 10,000 have appointments with the Department which will be fulfilled by the end of this month."
Mr Rabbitte said the situation was "more than a scandal".
"It is economic and social stupidity of the highest order. Year on year, the health budget goes up. Year on year, conditions in one of the most important hospitals in Ireland get worse."