A record number of people attended the Emergency Department at UHG on Monday - with over 300 patients presenting.
The figure was revealed at a meeting of the HSE Health Forum West this week, as discussion focused on the unsustainable pressure on the unit.
Fianna Fail Councillor John Connolly said the planned new Emergency Department still seems to be "stuck" in the very early stages, with planning a long way off.
It was acknowledged by the HSE that the plans have taken "a lot longer" than anyone would have wanted.
They said it's a complex campus with ever increasing activity, and a vitally important masterplan under development is partly responsible for the delays.
Councillor Connolly says it's incredibly disappointing to see such little progress.
And Councillor Connolly says while an overall masterplan is important, it cannot hold up the badly needed new emergency department.
