Relatives of patients stranded on trolleys in hospital corridors today begged the Government to give them some dignity.
Around 100 family members, nurses and supporters held a protest outside the Dail calling on the Minister for Health, Ms Harney, to take charge of the issue and halt the spiralling waiting times for beds in accident and emergency departments.
Their outrage came as it emerged 30 more patients had been put on trolleys within the last 24 hours, taking the total to more than 210 nationwide.
The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) said although the problem was most acute in the Dublin and Eastern region, it was not confined to them.
INO president Ms Madeline Spiers likened the health service to the American system whereby patients were only treated if they could afford it. "There are huge numbers of patients inappropriately placed, taking up acute beds when they should be receiving specialist care," she said.
"Mary Harney must look at bed capacity and assess patient needs. The ideas are great but there is no political will to implement change," she added.
Mr Des Mulreany, whose mother May, an 84-year-old pensioner, has been on a trolley in the Mater Hospital, Dublin since Saturday, said: "The buck stops at Mary Harney." He said the plight of his mother and the 20 other patients on trolleys in the Mater, was "disgusting" and a "disgrace".
Labour Party health spokeswoman Ms Liz McManus said the situation was "outrageous."
She expressed disbelief that the problem had got so bad and called on Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to make a statement pledging commitment to the patients and their families.