Sinn Féin has said the Government’s austerity policies are entirely to blame for the trolley crisis.

The party has described Health Minister Leo Varadkar's handling of the crisis as pathetic.

There has been some easing of the problem today with 371 people on trolleys - down from Tuesday's record high of 601.

Sinn Féin's Health spokesperson Caoimhghín O'Caoláin said the government response is “pathetic”, and he “would have expected more from Mr. Varadkar.”

“I think his late response to a crisis that had been unfolding over a period of weeks is simply not good enough,” he added.

Mr O'Caoláin urged the minister to “heed the voices of representative organisations” of healthcare workers working through the crisis, and “very especially the INMO”.