There's currently six permanent beds across Laois and Offaly.
The capacity of intensive care units in the midlands has been debated in the dail this afternoon.
At the moment there's four permanent ICU beds in Tullamore and two in Portlaoise regional hospitals.
Laois/Offaly TD's Brian Stanley of Sinn Fein and Independent Carol Nolan both questioned the Taoiseach about retaining the temporary increase in beds brought in to facilitate covid patients.
Michael Martin says the number of staff required to increase capacity permanently remains an issue:
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