Nurses say they cannot continue working under current stress levels.

Tensions are rising amid a spike in the number of patients on trolleys - there have been more than 500 for the past three days in a row, with numbers having reached record highs last week.

90% of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation's (INMO) members have voted to support industrial action - if necessary - to pursue 'special measures to alleviate the current and growing difficulties'.

The organisation yesterday met with health officials from the HSE, Department of Health, and Department of Public Expenditure.

Officials say they will produce written proposals by next Friday January 20th, and talks will recommence the following Monday.

The Executive Council of the INMO is to meet on Tuesday to determine their next step.

INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said: "Eight years ago, we had 39,000 nursing-midwifery posts - now we only have 35,500 nursing-midwifery posts in a health service that's 20 plus percent busier in terms of patient acuity, dependency, average length of stay, day procedures...

"Nurses and midwives just can't continued," he added.