Record February Trolley Crisis as Nearly 12,000 Patients Go Without Hospital Beds
Nearly 12,000 patients went without a hospital bed in Ireland this February, the worst on record, with Cork University Hospital among the top five most overcrowded in the country.
A new record has been set for hospital overcrowding in Ireland, with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation reporting that 11,595 patients were treated without a hospital bed during February 2026, the worst February figure since records began.
The INMO's monthly Trolley Watch data, released today, shows that overcrowding has become a year-round crisis, with acute pressure points emerging across the country this winter. University Hospital Limerick recorded the highest monthly figure nationally at 1,978 patients, followed by University Hospital Galway with 1,263.
In Cork, Cork University Hospital recorded 848 patients on trolleys throughout February, placing it fifth on the national list. On today's daily count alone, CUH had 46 patients without beds, while Mercy University Hospital recorded 18.
The five most overcrowded hospitals in February were: University Hospital Limerick (1,978), University Hospital Galway (1,263), Sligo University Hospital (937), St Vincent's University Hospital (849), and Cork University Hospital (848).
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said:
"Our members predicted that the recruitment embargo represented by the HSE's Pay and Numbers Strategy would only worsen the situation in already disastrously overcrowded hospitals. Sadly, they have been proven right, as we are seeing here the results of a failure to adequately staff services in both hospital and community services. This is a truly alarming situation, and one that can only be addressed with a serious commitment to safe staffing across the health service. There is simply no care without staffing, and any additional bed capacity in the health service needs to be matched with the staffing numbers prescribed in the safe staffing framework."
INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations Mary Fogarty said:
"The two most overcrowded hospitals here in Limerick and Galway are key facilities in these regions, and the overcrowding and staffing issues will have a widespread impact on outcomes across the West and the Mid-West. Our members are telling us there is simply no way to provide safe care in conditions where there are 50 to 100 patients on trolleys every day, and this impact on patients, alongside the physical and mental toll on our members, is simply unacceptable. This is a high-risk situation for our members and the patients attending these hospitals, as well as people requiring community and primary care across these regions, and staffing numbers need to be brought in line with healthcare needs as a matter of urgency."