The Dáil will today debate a motion criticising the Government's failure to deal with the crisis in the accident and emergency services.
The private members' motion was tabled by the Labour Party and calls for immediate action to avert industrial action threatened by members of SIPTU and the Irish Nurses' Organisation next week.
Ms Liz McManus, Labour spokeswoman on health, said the situation in accident and emergency services had been allowed to develop to such an extent that the country was now facing "a real crisis". "A survey undertaken on one day just two weeks ago disclosed that there were over 100 patients being held on trolleys in accident and emergency departments," she said.
Ms McManus said overcrowd- ing was so severe in one case that ambulances had to be turned away from the hospital. "Hard pressed nursing staff have now simply reached the end of their tether and have been forced to threaten industrial action in order to propel the Department into taking some action to improve the conditions for staff and patients alike," she said.
The Labour deputy called on the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, to act immediately to avert next week's threatened industrial action. She said he must also deal with the underlying crisis in the accident and emergency services.
"Surely in the 21st century, and with the resources at the disposal of this Government, accident and emergency patients should have the right to receive required treatment promptly and with dignity," Ms McManus said.
