Seventeen patients on trolleys today across two local hospitals

Some 17 patients were waiting on trolleys for beds in two local hospitals this morning (Wednesday).

There were 14 patients on trolleys at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe and three on trolleys at the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar.

The figures were compiled by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), which maintains a 'trolley watch' count nationally on a daily basis.

University Hospital Limerick, which has been facing serious overcrowding issues in recent years, was the hospital with the largest number of patients waiting on trolleys today (77).

Nationally, a total of 615 patients were on trolleys awaiting beds in Irish hospitals.