The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) says our hospital overcrowding crisis is now "a humanitarian issue".

The organisation's latest figures show that the number of people waiting on trolleys in emergency departments or waiting for a bed in wards has reached 644 today.

It is an increase of more than 100 people on yesterday's figures.

Today's INMO data shows 55 people waiting for a bed at University College Hospital Galway, while there's 54 at Cork University Hospital.

David Hughes, Deputy General Secretary of the INMO, says we're at crisis point.

Speaking after today's figures were released, he said: "Nurses are at burnout, and we really are into the stage now where this is a humanitarian issue.

"Patients are not getting the treatment or proper accommodation in hospitals that they deserve. It's just wrong, and something drastic needs to be done."

He added: "It requires some major initiative and some major injection to allow the staff and the beds become available to deal with this."