Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Jack Chambers. The extent to which he is exercised by this important topic is evident. I also am exercised and any Minister in the Department of Health obviously would like to see the €14 billion of taxpayers' money allocated to the Health Service Executive, HSE, is being well spent. This is why the Government is taking waiting lists, including this particular one, so seriously. The Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Department are engaging with the HSE to establish how these waiting lists can be reduced. It is interesting to see the kind of numbers that are being dealt with overall. For example, there are 3.2 million outpatient attendances at hospitals.

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