It is the shameful scourge that never goes away, a blight created by the outgoing government’s long-term neglect of the health system.
Today, 419 people are waiting for a hospital bed across the country, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) reports, with 294 of those enduring the wait on trolleys.
University Hospital Limerick once again fares the worst, with 36 patients waiting for beds.
Cork University Hospital has 35, while University Hospital Galway has 32.