The HSE has said it is disappointed that the Mercy University Hospital in Cork is to open its new emergency department but only during the day.
The voluntary hospital is the second busiest hospital in Cork and dealt with over 25,000 accident and emergency cases last year.
Forty percent or 10,000 of its patients attended at A&E in the evening.
The new €5m facility has lain idle for the past year because of a row between hospital management and the HSE over staffing levels.
Management says it needs an additional 24 staff to run the facility, but the HSE disagrees.
At a specially convened news conference this afternoon, management at the hospital said they were very disappointed that they could not provide the planned level of service.
CEO Pat Madden said they had decided to open the new Emergency Department, but because of funding difficulties it would not be possible to run it on a 24/7 basis.
He added that the voluntary hospital, which is a 349-bed acute general hospital, is facing a worrying and uncertain future.
HSE South Hospital Network Manager Gerry O'Dwyer said a meeting is due to take place between both sides on Wednesday and the impact of today's announcement on A&E services in the city will be on the agenda.
