Seriously ill patients have to wait on average 13 hours in an emergency department before they're admitted to hospital.
Wait times at Emergency Departments in the first quarter of this year, are the worst on record.
New figures from the HSE show the average patient waited nearly 13 hours before being admitted to hospital, up 11.2 hours pre-pandemic.
The worst unit was Tallaght University Hospital where people waited over 24 hours to be seen.
The shortest wait times were found in St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny where patients were seen 2.9 hours after registering.
CEO of the Irish Patients Association Stephen McMahon says delays to care costs lives.
"The figures that are being reported are absolutely shocking
"From the point of view that there is evidence to support the fact that 1 in 80 admissions that have been waiting more than 5 or 6 hours for admission can actually results in a preventable fatality."
