Taoiseach Enda Kenny has appealed for talks on the industrial action relating to overcrowding at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.
Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and Siptu this morning staged a four-hour work stoppage in a dispute over conditions at the emergency department of the largest hospital in the midwest region.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Mr Kenny said the situation in the hospital was of concern to everybody, adding that it "should be discussed and talked about and a plan put in place to rectify it".
This morning, there were six patients on trolleys and a further 41 in an overflow ward awaiting admission, he said.
"This is indeed indicative of a serious situation and one that has to be dealt with," the Taoiseach added.
Mr Kenny was replying to Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, who urged him to intervene directly to tackle the health crisis. Accusing the Government of pursuing Fianna Fáil policies, Mr Adams said Fine Gael’s election five-point plan had talked about reforming the health services.
The Labour Relations Commission (LRC) intervened yesterday in the row.
However, INMO industrial relations officer Mary Fogarty said no agreement was reached after five hours of talks at the LRC yesterday evening.
"From the outset at the LRC, management acknowledged the sincerity of all the issues raised by nurses," she said in a statement.
"However, due to the moratorium on recruitment and the huge financial deficit which the hospital finds itself in, local HSE management were not in a position to immediately address, even on an interim basis for a period of five to six weeks, the patient safety concerns of our members."
The nurses also staged a four-hour stoppage last Wednesday.
The organisation said the action was over gross overcrowding and the consequent negative effect this was having on the delivery of a satisfactory standard of nursing care in the emergency unit and throughout the hospital.
The HSE did not comment yesterday.
Minister for Health James Reilly is awaiting a report on the problems at the emergency unit at the hospital, which has been drawn up by the new special delivery unit in his department.