The Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) has appealed to the public not to attend Accident and Emergency departments unless it is absolutely necessary.
A statement released by the ERHA said A&E departments have been extremely busy during the last week resulting in staff being stretched.
"People not seriously ill or injured will face long delays. In addition they may cause delays in treating people who really need to be there," the statement concluded.
Labour Party Health spokesperson Ms Liz McManus, criticised the Minister for Health, Mr Micheál Martin for failing to develop a strategic plan for the entire A&E service.
"A crisis in the A&E Service has been a regular feature of each winter in recent years, but it has now reached a new level of seriousness when the ERHA has been forced to ask people not to attend hospitals unless absolutely necessary," she said.
"The government should be providing the funding to allow our hospitals to function at full capacity and should ensure the provision of adequate step-down beds so that precious hospital facilities are not used by those who could be safely catered for elsewhere," she addded.
