Tallaght Hospital admitted yesterday that a room originally used to receive dead bodies at the hospital was sometimes used to treat A&E patients.However, the hospital described reports in a medical newspaper that patients were being kept in a mortuary as "untrue and without foundation".
The article was based on a report of the hospital's A&E Observation Ward Group last month, which said overcrowding had become significantly worse, and that patients were "occupying trolleys on corridors, in treatment rooms, resuscitation bays and even in the mortuary room in the A&E department".
In a statement, the hospital said there had been a substantial increase in the number of patients attending the A&E department, which had put considerable pressure on the hospital. The hospital management and staff were "working together to overcome the difficulties".
However, Mr Kevin O'Connor, industrial relations officer with the Irish Nurses' Organisation, said it was time for hospital management to "get its act together".
The issue was also raised in the Dáil yesterday by the Labour spokeswoman on health, Ms Liz O'Donnell, who said the disclosure reflected the extent of the health crisis.
"Clearly, the budgetary cutbacks in the health service are making the situation in most hospitals intolerable. It is inevitable that A&E units will become even more overloaded as over 250 beds are closed, along with bed closures in other hospitals and 25 bed closures in the children's hospital in Crumlin."
The Health Minister, Mr Martin, declined to comment on the matter yesterday, saying it was a hospital management issue.
The A&E report for Tallaght also showed that 12 trolleys in the day ward were redesignated for in-patients, and 37 A&E patients were occupying trolleys in inappropriate conditions.
Mr Martin, meanwhile, said yesterday he wanted to introduce a new model for treating A&E patients aimed at cutting waiting times to acute hospitals across the State.
This follows the success of a new acute medical admissions unit established in Dublin's St James's Hospital three months ago which has already seen a "substantial" reduction in waiting times.
The unit, which houses 59 beds, aims to ensure no patient is forced to wait more than an hour before they are referred for treatment. It is staffed by 70 healthcare professionals.
Mr John O'Brien, chief executive of St James's Hospital, said: "This is one of the key elements of the hospital's strategy for addressing long-standing issues experienced in this area over the years."
