Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The figure of 400,000 people waiting for outpatient appointments probably involves a good deal of double counting. It includes people waiting to see a number of consultants for the same condition. Deputies should bear in mind that it also includes routine appointments and people who are waiting one week or perhaps two or three weeks for appointments. It is not that everyone in that figure is waiting six months, eight months, 12 months or anything like that. The numbers waiting 12 months for outpatient appointments is currently at approximately 77,000, which is a high level but it is certainly not the 400,000 figure that Deputy Kelleher is using.

The reality is that the targets that were set were not met and have not been met. I am trying to set realistic targets that can be met. Deputy Kelleher should bear in mind that Fianna Fáil, as a party, is led by a former Minister for Health who promised to abolish all waiting lists entirely within two years at a time when there was no limitation on spending, but he was unable to do it.

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