New figures show that there have been 63 assaults or physical attacks on staff at Sligo University Hospital since January of last year.
Weapons used in the attacks include walking sticks, zimmer frames and bottles of urine.
The HSE has stressed though that many of the assaults were unintentional due to patients with dementia and other mental health issues.
Donegal Sinn Fein TD Padraig MacLochlainn is deeply concerned at the data.
He feels that currently the punishment doesn’t fit the crime:
