Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I regret if the language used by the Minister, Deputy Reilly, in referring to the process by which 20 important surgical interventions were carried out, was deemed to be callous or uncaring by Deputy Martin. I would be certainly sorry about that.

I noted this report. Deputy Reilly also stated that one does not have sufficient resources available to do every operation that one might like to do and for that reason, I understand that the clinician involved, who is a skilled person, carried out the 20 operations in the first half of this year. I am not competent to say on what basis they were prioritised or whether those who were on the waiting list are in a more serious condition than those who were operated on or whatever, but I believe, as Deputy Martin does, that prevention is better than cure.

This is an issue that has arisen over the past years. Despite the fact that there is a huge voluntary movement in terms of health initiatives on such important issues as diet, activity and exercise, the Minister made the point that there is not an endless resource for this operation or any other. He also made the point about the extraordinary level of commitment that is required for essential drugs, where, for instance in regard to hepatitis C, there is a 95% curable rate with what will be developed in AbbVie in Sligo. In these cases, while the moneys are not there now to perform all the operations that might be deemed to be necessary by the clinicians, I am sure it is possible for the clinician expertise to be able to ask what can be done for the patient in the meantime pending an operation.

Deputy Martin will be aware that given the circumstances that apply, patients have unfortunately had to wait for a very long time for many different kinds of operations and still do - much too long in many cases. The Deputy refers to this case. Unfortunately, this is an issue that has to be dealt with by these clinicians. Pending a clinician's assessment of the necessity for an operation, I am sure that advice to otherwise deal with the problem is available. Clinicians know best about the urgency of carrying out an operation, if it is to be a life-saving operation, and I am sure it is on that basis that they prioritise them.

I hope the 20 operations carried out this year have been successful. The Minister made the point that if one takes funding from other priority areas where operations are required, one does not do any favours to those others with different ailments. It is simply a case of not having funding available to be able to do all that one needs or might like to do just now. In the meantime, I would hope that the expertise of the clinicians will be available to those who are deemed to require an operation carried out at some stage.

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