A consultant at Tallaght Hospital says management there has "shot themselves in the foot" in relation to a 91-year-old patient being left on a trolley for 29 hours.

Tallaght Hospital says it is setting up an internal review into how the information about the patient was disclosed to the national media.

Consultant in emergency medicine at Tallaght Hospital, Dr James Gray, brought the case to the attention of the elderly man to the hospital CEO.

Dr Gray told Newstalk Lunchtime yesterday the situation is "déjà vu unfortunately" - adding: "Obviously he would have been an infection control risk, and a fire evacuation hazard. This man exemplifies that major breaches that are going on".

While today, Dr Gray was critical of management at Tallaght Hospital.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) says overcrowding is at record levels, with 7,971 admitted patients cared for on trolleys in October.

It says that in the first 10 months of this year, almost 80,000 admitted patients were on trolleys - which is the highest ever figure for that period in any year since trolley watch began.

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, a caller aged in her 70s stated that she went to the emergency department at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin with her husband, where they spent 12 hours waiting to be seen, followed by 48 hours on a trolley.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) say they welcome "complete openness" from patients and staff in relation to overcrowding.

Liam Woods, National Director for Acute Hospitals with the HSE, says they have plans in place to deal with undue waiting times.