Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Probably for the first time ever, we can now see universal healthcare as a reality in our country. There are three simple tests here. For me, one of the most important unfinished projects of our Republic, which must be the cornerstone of any decent society, is universal healthcare. There are three tests. The first is whether it is affordable for patients. The Deputy will be aware that we are radically reducing costs for patients. The second is whether the services are there and if they are good services. To the Deputy's point, I think we all agree the services are excellent and he will be aware we are adding a lot of new services that patients need in the community and in the hospitals. On that second test we are moving quickly. The third test is the biggest, namely, access. That is really what today is about. It is about access to scheduled care, which is the waiting lists, and access to unscheduled care, such as GPs, minor injury units, emergency departments or out-of-hours doctors. It is a huge task but critically we are beginning to see the waiting lists fall.

We are all signed up to the targets for ten to 12 weeks. Those numbers have fallen by about 25,000 people just in the last four weeks. From the peak of Covid to the end of last year they fell by 150,000. That is 150,000 fewer men, women and children waiting longer than those agreed targets. That is really important progress. There are still about 495,000. The aim in the waiting list plan for this year is to get that down by about 10%. We will get it further if we can. My numbers will be slightly wrong but those numbers have fallen by over 20% from the Covid peak already.

This is what we are doing. Our healthcare professionals, my Department and the HSE are mobilised around short-term measures. At the same time, Dr. Henry is leading an important structural change. Some €43 million has been allocated in recurrent funding and Dr. Henry is working across the system with Mr. McCallion and others to put in place new pathways of care. For example, the programme for Government, and this may well have been referenced in Sláintecare as well, included a Sligo ophthalmology pilot that was really good. That essentially made it much quicker for patients to get the care they needed. More use was made of opticians and their skills were used more than they are typically. That is one of the programmes Dr. Henry is rolling out. We are aiming to have seven of them - correct me if I am wrong - fully completed this calendar year, which is going to make a big difference. The team is also starting an additional 23.

We are doing a lot of short-term things in respect of the waiting list action plan but, just as importantly, we have to have integrated care. We have to use our pharmacists, opticians and dentists to the fullest extent of their licences. Much of the work we are doing is around that.