Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I wish to ask about elective procedures, which are stockpiled at this stage to a considerable extent. Was consideration given to referring them under the treatment purchase scheme to the private hospital sector, which has been available? Some criticism has been made of the fact that it has been underutilised. To what extent, if at all, has it been utilised? To what extent can it be utilised in dealing with what will become an interminable backlog? While some of these issues may not be emergency issues today, they will become emergency issues. If we wait for everything to become an emergency issue, the whole thing will descend into chaos.

We should be able to deal with these issues as they arise. I know the Minister will agree. What action has been taken to do that and use the treatment purchase facilities, if and when they are available?