Parents are being advised to expect long delays if they attend Accident and Emergency departments at the country’s three biggest children’s hospitals.
The joint announcement which was issued by Temple Street, Crumlin and Talaght children’s hospitals informs parents that they could be forced to wait a number of hours in A&E if their child presents with minor problems.
In the statement all hospitals urged parents to attend their GP instead of A&E unless their child is seriously ill.
It is believed the statement was issued on Wednesday after all three hospitals experienced a rise in admissions with a large group of children presenting with respiratory infections.