A HIQA inspection at the University Hospital in Dooradoyle Limerick has highlighted concerns about hand hygiene, cleanliness, infections and overcrowding.
The inspection was carried out in November 2014 and January 2015.
HIQA found that hand hygiene practices were not up to standard and have instructed that management should carry out monitoring.
The November inspection also identified risks in relation to the cleanliness of patient equipment and the environment in some wards at the hospitals, but there were improvements by the January re-inspections.
In its report, HIQA highlighted the ongoing need to tackle multi-drug resistant infections, but said a significant amount of work had been done.
Overcrowding was a near permanent situation, according to reports to HIQA by staff, the report said.
HIQA has demanded that both hospitals must now revise and amend their quality improvement plans, and publish them on their websites in six weeks time.
