Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The National Treatment Purchase Fund worked. However, the moneys allocated to it have now disappeared into the big black hole of the SDU and the wider system. As a result, waiting lists have become longer. Masking the real story, rather than tackling the lists, has become the priority.

Will the Government consider reinstating the National Treatment Purchase Fund, with an exclusive focus on reducing waiting times and waiting lists for people who desperately require surgery? Will it resolve the issue relating to medical card renewals for those with chronic illnesses? Will it deal with the overcrowding in paediatric hospitals? I am sure the Taoiseach agrees that such overcrowding is unacceptable. There are clear alternatives available which would assist in resolving this problem. I am of the view that the Government should consider exempting bed closures in paediatric hospitals. Those are the three key questions I wish to put to the Taoiseach.

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