Figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, the INMO, show that 1,842 patients have waited on trolleys at Cavan General Hospital over the course of the last year.
Ten years previously in 2014 Cavan General Hospital saw 460 patients waiting on trolleys at the local A&E.
Nationally 122,186 patients, including 2,043 children, were admitted to hospital without a bed in 2024, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s Trolley Watch.
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said from surveys conducted by HIQA that 72% of patients are spending more than 6 hours on a trolley.
She said the medical research is clear; spending more than six hours on a trolley has detrimental impact on long-term health outcomes, particularly for older people.
Ms Ní Sheaghdha added this is now a human rights issue and one which the INMO will pursue with like-minded organisations.
