James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The situation requires a change in the way we do business. If we do the same things the same way the whole time there will be no change. That is what went on for 14 years when the Deputy’s party was in government, despite its quadrupling the spend on health. With reduced funds and staff, we are making significant improvements. The Deputy is simply wrong. The fact is that the waiting lists have been reduced enormously. The Deputy chooses to compare September figures, but let us look at the end of December and we will talk about this in the new year. I do not know where he gets his 18.6% figure because it does not relate to any information I have.

Even as we speak the work is ongoing. Yes, it presents a real problem and a challenge because, unlike the Deputy, we counted the number of people awaiting an outpatient appointment and we are reducing those numbers. As a consequence we will need more inpatient treatment, which will put the pressure on, but the system is dealing with that in an equitable and fair way, looking after those who are waiting longest first, once the urgent cases and cancer cases have been dealt with.

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