Galway University Hospital has the most overcrowded Emergency Department in the country today, with 51 patients waiting for admission to a bed.

Across the country today, there are 448 patients waiting for admission to a bed with 13 at Mayo University Hospital, and 51 at UHG.

Management at the Galway hospital says the full capacity protocol has been implemented again, and non-urgent elective procedures have been deferred in a bid to deal with the increased demand.

The public is again advised only to attend the ED in the case of real emergencies, and to contact their GP otherwise.

It comes as nurses across the country are to be balloted for industrial action, with the INMO saying their pay needs to be restored quicker, and more staff recruited.