More than 20 individuals and businesses have pledged to immediately build, furnish and fit out three Portakabins so more space can be provided for patients attending the normally overcrowded accident and emergency unit at Dublin's Mater hospital.
The pledges were made through the RTÉ Liveline programme over the past two days where patients have told stories of the suffering endured by relatives waiting for days on trolleys in A&E.
Last evening the Mater, in a statement, said it appreciated the offers of goods and services.
"The hospital now needs to evaluate these offers against its own plans and operational needs," it said.
"The hospital's own proposal for an additional 25-bed emergency transit ward as part of the A&E department was submitted to the Health Service Executive (HSE) in December and is currently being evaluated," it added.
In the long term, a new A&E unit is to be provided at the hospital as part of a €340 million development under the National Development Plan. This is at an advanced stage of planning.
A spokeswoman for the HSE also said it appreciated the help and support of all who were willing to assist in addressing pressures on A&E services.
"We are grateful for their generosity and are available to meet with them if necessary," she said.
Among the first pledges was a cheque for €30,000 from businessman Ben Dunne to cover the cost of buying three Portakabins, which a supplier said he could have in place in a week.
Other companies have offered bedside lockers, chairs, televisions, electrical equipment, floor covering, lighting, paint, curtains, blinds, plants, crockery, and plant hire.
The pledges started on the first day of the Irish Nurses' Organisation's lunchtime protests over ongoing overcrowding in A&E units.
These included a protest outside the Mater. Today the protests continue outside three more hospitals in Tallaght, Mayo and Cavan.
There were, the INO said, 331 patients on trolleys again yesterday.
Meanwhile Siptu's national nursing official, Oliver McDonagh, has called for some of the €1 billion which the Revenue Commissioners expect to collect from those who invested in life assurance products as a means of evading tax to be diverted into improving A&E services.