The sister of a teenager receiving treatment at University Hospital Limerick has said their experience of A&E was 'chaos.'
It comes as 838 people are on trolleys in hospitals across Ireland - the second highest number since records began.
Ciara Louise's 16-year-old brother suffered a stroke in November and was admitted to hospital.
She told Lunchtime Live he waited two days on a trolley to be seen.
"They brought him down to resus, which is part of A&E in Limerick, and unfortunately he was there for two and a half days," she said.
"He was triaged and he was put on a trolley.
"I have to mention at the time he was in isolation at home for COVID, it was his last day of isolation.
"He was put into some sort of private room and he was there for two and a half days.
"While he was in A&E he had another stroke."
'There wasn't staff'
She said her mother was at the hospital to help him.
"She said her heart absolutely went out to the staff," Cara Louise explained.
"They were trying their best, they were running around, there definitely wasn't enough staff.
"There was older people on trolleys wetting themselves, not able to get to the toilet.
"My brother had to use a commode that wasn't emptied for a day, because there wasn't the staff there to do it.
"My mother then had to put him on the commode with his left side not working, he was paralysed on his left side.
"There wasn't staff there to help her do that - it was just chaos."
'Just chaos'
She said when her brother did get to go for a scan, this involved more stress.
"When he went for a scan he had to be put on a wheelchair and wheeled through - but people on trolleys had to get off, move the trolleys so that he could get through.
"It was just chaos."
Ciara Louise said once he was out of A&E, things got better for her brother.
"He's still in hospital now," she said.
"I have to mention that the care he's getting now, outside of A&E, in Limerick Hospital is amazing.
"He's in the Stroke Unit and they couldn't be better to him now, he's getting physio twice a day.
"He is getting better, but he's still got a long way to go.
"My heart breaks for the staff because they're the people that have turned up, and they're the people that are trying to help.
"Unfortunately they're the people that are getting shouted at and screamed at while in A&E.
"The bottom line is I don't know how much nurses get paid, but I don't think they're getting paid enough.
"They're not getting paid enough to turn up and deal with that, and it's just frustrating.
"It must be mentally challenging for those nurses and doctors as well," she added.
