Hospital consultants are warning that the HSE is poorly prepared to meet extra demand for hospital beds over Christmas.
The Irish Hospital Consultant's Association says the HSE's Winter Plan, announced last week, is 'too late and too limited'.
IHCA Secretary General, Martin Varley, says the country's public hospitals could be facing an extremely damaging crisis in the New Year - which could last for months.
He said the 75 extra acute beds announced in the plan were not enough when 300-500 were left waiting on trolleys last week.
