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

The increase in the number of outpatients waiting for longer than 18 months at Tallaght is largely due to capacity pressures in certain specialties relating mainly to medical manpower pressures as a result of consultant retirements, maternity and sick leave and the inability to recruit locums into those positions. However, it should be noted that, overall, the 18-month target is being achieved and exceeded by the majority of medical and surgical specialties in the hospital. On 30 January, 4,082 people were waiting for 18 months or longer. By the end of September, this figure had decreased to 1,407. Continued efforts are being made to reduce that to zero by the end of the year.

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