South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel has been slammed by the safety body HIQA for lack of staff hand hygiene and cleanliness.

Hand hygiene compliance on the day of a recent HIQA inspection was only 39%, but HIQA admitted this was based on a low sample.

Blood stains were visible on a blood gas machine in the hospital's intensive care unit, HIQA inspectors found. Some equipment was also found to be unclean in the coronary care unit while on a ward inspected, red stains were visible on a mattress cover and a pillow.

Meanwhile, a HIQA inspection report into the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar found that Legionella samples were present in some water supply points but the hospital had procedures in place to effectively manage the risk.

Recent tests showed the water supply to the hospital to be clear.