Pensioner with nowhere to lie down waiting in A&E at Portlaoise last night spurs outrage

An old lady forced to lie on waiting room chairs at Portlaoise Hospital last night spurred a heartbroken man, waiting with his wife, to speak out.

It is understood that the lady, in her seventies, had nowhere to lie down, while she waiting in Accident & Emergency.

According to Will Keane, there were up to 20 people on trolleys last night. He witnessed the lady lying across three chairs, with no trolley available.

Mr Keane said: "It is horrific, there was nowhere to put her. You have to see it to believe it.  I looked around and said , 'where are we, are we in Ireland? It was like Beirut."