The Health Minister Simon Harris has said building prefabs on a number of hospital sites is the only way to ease the current overcrowding crisis quickly.
Minister Harris said although the prefabs are not ideal they will go a long way to ease the crisis which has plagued the country in recent months.
Mr Harris told reporters he has already asked the HSE to look at hospital sites suitable for modular accommodation to improve the situation for patients and staff.
It is understood South Tipperary General Hospital (STGH) and Mayo General Hospital will be one of the first hospitals to use prefabs to treat patients.
However the plan has come in for strong criticism from opposition TDs and staff working in the health service who say the prefabs are unsuitable and there will not be enough staff and medical personal to manage them efficiently.