Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I did not ask about the Government’s plans, although they are important. I asked specifically about the HSE outpatient waiting list initiative, a previous plan of the Government, which was introduced at the end of December 2013 and through which I have no doubt thousands of people across the country were removed from hospital waiting lists to massage the figures to make them look good. They would have been referred to private hospitals with the intention, as they were told at the time, that their treatment would continue and be completed there. Caroline is but one example of 1,300 who are in the same position in one hospital. How many are in her position nationally? I have made representations about her and thousands of others.

I have taken up the matter with the Minister for Health. In a response to a parliamentary question last week which he had referred to the HSE the answer I received was that it was the HSE's intention that these patients would receive their treatment in a timely fashion in the hospital to which they had been referred. The funding required for it to proceed with this plan was not provided; therefore, it is now taking steps to add these patients back to the public waiting lists for ongoing management and treatment. It is in the process of communicating with these patients to provide for them accordingly. That is what I am asking the Tánaiste to explain. There are 1,300 cases in County Donegal. I have no doubt that on the street next to the Tánaiste’s there is a patient and that there are many patients in her neighbourhood in the same position. Is she aware of this case?

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