Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing us to raise this issue, which represents a decisive moment for this Dáil and for the health services. How can we accept what we saw on the "RTE Investigates" programme last night? The anger and hurt of the families who featured is repeated in thousands of homes throughout the country. We must take decisive action to address these issues. In that context, I welcome the Minister's commitment to increased financing. However, the reality is that in Ireland, there are three waiting lists in the health service. In Britain, by contrast, there is only one list. In that country, people are assigned to it when their consultant says they require a treatment or procedure, and they go off it once they receive that treatment. That is not what happens in this country, however, and it is unacceptable. As we now know, we have 23,000 people on a pre-admit list, with no monitoring of that list whatsoever.

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