Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I raised concerns earlier this week about people travelling to Northern Ireland for medical procedures. They are travelling for anything up to six hours by bus, and many of them are elderly. It is relation to cataract operations. Maybe Mr. McCallion might deal with this issue. My understanding is that there is a delay, certainly, in the south-south-west area, in getting appointments to be assessed. Can we fast track that process by using the National Treatment Purchase Fund to refer people for consultations and then put them on the list for cataract procedures? In the South Infirmary, there are only 133 cases waiting to be dealt with. Some 90 of them are waiting less than three months. The problem is that people are not getting on the list because they are not being assessed. Can we deal with that issue at this stage? Finally, would Mr. McCallion accept that travelling to Northern Ireland at this stage is a little unsafe and that people need to be advised of that?