Reports are that the health sector in Ireland is heading towards an unprecedented crisis.

Dublin — Reports are that the health sector in Ireland is heading towards an unprecedented crisis. 

Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) According to the latest figures released, 66,400 patients were left waiting on trolleys in hospitals in the first half of 2026 alone. .

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said there were 457 patients waiting for beds in hospitals across Ireland on Tuesday. The reason for the lack of beds is that they are being placed on trolleys and other means.

The report also states that 457 of these patients sought treatment. Of these, 280 were in the emergency department and 177 were in other wards of the hospital.

University Hospital Limerick is at the top of the list with 94 patients waiting for a bed. St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin had the highest number of patients waiting on trolleys, with 32 people waiting in the emergency department.

There has been a 12 percent increase in the number of patients lying on trolleys compared to the same period in 2025. Union leaders warn that the current situation will affect patient safety and put healthcare workers under severe mental and physical stress.

No less crowded in summer

Normally, hospitals in Ireland are less crowded as the winter months approach, but this time, that trend has been reversed.

Last June alone, 9,612 patients were Patients were forced to wait on trolleys or chairs due to a lack of beds in the wards. Hospitals with outdated infrastructure struggled to care for patients in the scorching heat. Before this, February 2026 was recorded as the worst February in Irish history.

Major hospitals in crisis

The crisis has hit regional hospitals outside the capital Dublin the hardest, with University Hospital Limerick (UHL) the most overcrowded hospital in the country.

Major hospitals where the most patients are suffering:

• University Hospital Limerick (UHL): 1,799 patients on trolleys
• Sligo University Hospital: 885 patients on trolleys
• Cork University Hospital (CUH): 708 patients on trolleys
• University Hospital Galway (UHG): 617 patients on trolleys

The situation at Limerick Hospital is dire. There are more patients waiting for beds in the corridors of Limerick Hospital alone than in the combined total of about ten major hospitals in the eastern region of the country.

Bed shortages and staffing restrictions

Health Service Executive ( HSE)) The main reason for this crisis is the lack of beds in the network. According to international safety standards, bed occupancy in hospitals should be below 85 percent. But in Ireland it has reached 96 percent. Continuing.

Patients who need to be discharged after treatment are unable to leave the hospital due to a lack of community care centers to go to and the closure of nursing homes, which is hindering the availability of beds for new patients.

In addition, the INMO alleges that it is not possible to open new wards or hire sufficient staff due to staffing restrictions imposed by the government. The union leadership has also warned that it will move towards strong protest programs in this situation.