The Daíl must be recalled early to help deal with the worsening crisis in the healthcare system according to one local TD.
Independent Deputy for Sligo/Leitrim Marian Harkin made the call following a record high in patients waiting for a bed at Sligo University Hospital today.
The INMO trolley watch count recorded 65 people on trolleys or waiting elsewhere at SUH, the largest waiting list since trolley watch began.
Elsewhere in the region 51 are on trolleys at UHG, 24 at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe while Mullingar and Tullamore regional hospital are dealing with 18 and 3 patients respectively.
Deputy Harkin has urged the Minister for Health to open private hospitals to take the pressure off public system:
[CLIP]
This is beyond unacceptable what is happening.
I'm calling on on our new Taoiseach right now to recall the Daíl late this week or early next week because Minister Donnelly has to come in and explain what he is doing.
I heard a comment from him that things will get better before they get worse and I though my head would blow up.
It is his job to ensure things would get better instead of getting worse.
