Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation are staging protests over staffing levels at two hospitals, while 541 patients are waiting for admission on trolleys in emergency departments or wards nationwide.
Today's figures are among the highest overcrowding figures this year. There were 558 patients waiting on trolleys on 5 January, 554 patients on 8 March and 544 patients on 1 March.
There were 331 people on trolleys on this day last year, the INMO added.
The worst affected hospitals today are the university hospitals in Cork and Galway, where 48 people are waiting for admission to beds.
36 people are waiting for admission at University Hospital Waterford, while there are 34 people waiting at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin.
In a statement the INMO said the situation is "compounded by the fact that there are currently 180 Acute beds closed across the country."
The organisation has also called on the Health Service Executive to introduce an emergency nurse staffing initiative to address the situation.
It said there are currently 140 staff nurses vacancies in emergency departments, which represents almost a 10% vacancy rate.
Meanwhile, INMO members at Cavan and Mayo general hospitals are staging lunchtime protests to highlight their concerns arising from unsafe staffing levels.
Harris to bring HSE Service Plan to Cabinet
Minister for Health Simon Harris was due to bring the Health Service Executive Plan to Cabinet today, which will outline how the executive intends to spend almost €14 billion in current health spending next year.
The plan, which will be published tomorrow, will outline spending of €3.3bn on disability services and older people next year and €4.4bn on acute hospital services.
It is understood the minister is also retaining some funds in his department to negotiate a new GP contract.
The talks are expected to start shortly and continue next year.
It is also understood that Minister Harris is setting up a new working group in the department to seek efficiencies on the amount being spent on drugs in hospitals.
Any savings will be allocated to a new drugs fund.
This is in addition to the agreement with the pharmaceutical sector on savings.
