Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If one operated the theatre in Cork University Hospital for five days a week one would have a problem with beds and other problems caused by a lack of staff. The consultants have suggested that they could get space in another facility, and get the beds, and backup support staff thus taking many people off the list in a faster time. Let us remember that it will take time to recruit people. A six-bed day unit has been sought.

They will also need to have access to a theatre to deal with people who are using the six-bed day care unit. That will take some time. It might take anything up to six months. They are saying that in the meantime, they are prepared to move to other facilities outside Cork University Hospital where there is space available to carry out the procedures and get people off the list. There are over 4,000 people on the waiting list at present. Dr. John Coulter, who is one of the consultants, is concerned because it is not known how many of the 4,000 people on the waiting list might have early-stage cancer. That is why there is so much concern about the delays in seeing people and why this issue needs to be prioritised.