Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

I thank the Chair and apologise for the lateness. The traffic out there is a nightmare. I am not sure there is a need for the extensive road closures we have. I have a question for the Minister of State on assessment of need. Is there a plan? We all know there are almost 17,000 children on the waiting list. We are told that may go to 20,000 by the end of the year. Is there a targeted, time-limited plan to tackle that situation? Does the Department have that? Does the HSE have that? Is it set out anywhere? Where can we see a plan that shows we are going to make serious inroads into the huge delays we have out there? We have to remember those delays are effectively breaches of the law by the Department, the Department of Health, the Department of children, the HSE and the Government. Have we a specific plan to deal with this? If there is a plan, what are the time limits and the targets and when are we going to make serious inroads?