Beaumont Hospital has become the third hospital to postpone non-urgent procedures tomorrow because of overcrowding in its Emergency Department.

All non-urgent elective procedures due to take place at Cork University Hospital (CUH) and the Mater Hospital were postponed today.

Earlier the Health Minister said the cancellation of elective surgeries - while regrettable - is part of the escalation measures agreed with nurses to ease pressure in EDs.

Minister Leo Varadkar also said people who have operations cancelled as hospitals try to deal with overcrowding will not be put back to the end of the queue;