Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a question on gynaecological services in Cork University Hospital, CUH, and the timeline for the roll-out of additional staff to deal with the backlog. My understanding is that 42% of all patients waiting in the country are waiting in Cork. Where are we in that regard? When are we likely to make serious inroads into the waiting list?

My next question is on the fair deal scheme and how private providers find it difficult to provide high-dependency patients with the level of service that they require. Will there be further engagement with private providers with a view to providing more beds for high-dependency patients in the private sector as opposed to depending entirely on community hospital facilities? What is the timeline for this? As the Minister is aware, people are living for longer. Therefore, additional services in this regard are needed.