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

I agree with the Minister that it is entirely unsatisfactory. However, unlike him, I am not the Minister for Health and if the Minister believes it is unsatisfactory, it behoves him to do something to address it. He indicated to me that these patients are not disadvantaged in any way. That is not the reality. The reason these patients were referred out in the first place was because they were waiting more than one year. They were referred out at the end of 2013. Before that they were waiting at least a year, and in most cases more than a year, to see a consultant. They were referred out at the end of 2013. They then saw a consultant at the start of last year, which is more than a year ago at this stage. They are being brought back to Letterkenny General Hospital but before their treatment can be brought forward or diagnostics done, they now have to see a consultant in Letterkenny for the first time because a consultant will not decide to treat a patient without first seeing him or her. That is the position in which they find themselves. They are back to square one, as such. The difference is they know they need some follow-on treatment. That is beneficial in itself but they are back to square one in that they are waiting to see a consultant in Letterkenny General Hospital for the first time. What is required, and this can be addressed immediately, is for money to be provided and for Letterkenny General Hospital to be asked to stop requesting the files from the consultants who are treating these patients and instead provide the funding to complete their treatment. What is happening to these patients is cruel.

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