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

If I may make a general point, nobody should be in pain. Adequate pain relief mechanisms are available and a GP would be in a position to provide such relief. I accept, however, it is not ideal that people would take painkillers for prolonged periods when a procedure could resolve the problem in a more comprehensive fashion. As we all know, some painkillers have side effects which can be serious in their own way. I take note of what the Deputy had to say. We are striving to improve the system. It has evolved in a chaotic fashion over many years and through various Governments, and we are trying to put order on it to benefit patients by ensuring that those who are waiting the longest are seen first and that people are seen in chronological order as they are referred rather than permitting people who have only been waiting three months to be seen prior to those who have been waiting six months, nine months or a year. That has been happening in our hospitals.

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