Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

THREE CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS in Dublin have appealed to families to bring their children to their family doctor before going to the Emergency Department this weekend, due to an unprecedented demand for services.

The Children’s Hospital Group – which includes Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin; the Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street and the National Children’s Hospital in Tallaght – said that hospitals were currently experiencing ”unprecedented demands” for patient admissions this week.

The group advised people to either attend an out-of-hours GP service or their family doctor instead of going to emergency departments.

It said that the demand was due to an increase in patients presenting with respiratory infections, particularly babies and young children.

The group apologised to people and said that it was working with “hospital management in the three hospitals to ensure that every effort is made to manage this situation”.