Vanessa Cummins from Clondalkin in Dublin had never been in hospital before. That was until she arrived at Tallaght hospital late on Friday night with acute tonsillitis.
She was assessed in the A&E department and it was decided she needed to be admitted. However, yesterday afternoon she was still in A&E. "I've been on a trolley in the corridor waiting for a bed since 1.30 a.m. on Saturday," she told The Irish Times. "I think it's atrocious in this day and age that people have to be left on a trolley for that length of time.
"It's extremely uncomfortable. You have lights on all night and there is a lot of people traffic all night so you can't sleep," she added.
The lack of privacy afforded to patients on the corridor is also of concern to her. She has to get regular injections and said that while hospital staff try to screen off trolleys while administering the injections, she felt everyone else's visitors could see her getting them if they looked.
"I've never been in hospital before. Not until you actually see it and are in the situation yourself do you appreciate how bad things are.
"It really is diabolical that patients are on corridors for lack of beds when you think of the money they spent on the Spire."
Another young woman who was admitted after suffering blackouts said she had been on a trolley on the corridor linking the main A&E reception area with the children's A&E section at Tallaght Hospital since Friday.
She said there were others next to her who had been on trolleys since Thursday.
"It's disgraceful. It's unbelievable. Bertie Ahern should come out here and see for himself," she added.