The situation in our hospitals is 'hell', according to patients waiting for a bed.
There was almost 480 people on trolleys across the country this afternoon.
"There's men in here who are literally dying - they're terminally ill, and they're on the same trolley that I'm on", says Margaret.
She been on a trolley in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for eight days now.
"On the wall beside I have a hand (sanitizer) that I smacked my head off approximately 400 times.
"None of this equipment works, by the way - so the doctors use their iPhones to shine into my mouth, and my eyes and my ears", she added.
She is one of 22 in that hospital alone, and 477 nationwide.
During the 2011 election campaign, Enda Kenny promised to end the scandal of people on trolleys.
The day he was elected Taoiseach 426 people were on trolleys - that is almost 50 less than today.
Health Minister Simon Harris says they are working on the problem.
"There are still too many people on trolley's, I'm very clear on this, they're still far too high.
"But I've made it very clear to the HSE I expect people in management positions to deliver", he added.
The situation is likely to get worse as we enter the Christmas period - and with INMO nurses preparing to ballot for industrial action over conditions.
