Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The DNA rate has a bearing. While it is not the only factor, consultants have a certain number of appointments available and when a person does not turn up for an appointment, the slot is wasted. Given that there were 450,000 such incidences, there is an onus on me to expect the health service to put in place methods to ensure patients are reminded of appointments and, ultimately, wait less time, which makes them more likely to remember the appointment.

The NTPF has a role. Fianna Fáil pursued it during the confidence and supply discussions. We have it back up and running after years of it not having any specific budget for dedicated waiting list initiatives. We have a budget of €20 million for the NTPF this year, rising to €55 million next year.

4 o’clock

It is one the few areas of the health budget in respect of which we got a commitment during the Estimates process, and not just for the level of funding for 2017 but also for the level of funding for 2018, so we can plan for the future. The pooling of consultant appointments and the utilisation of the hospital groups is essential. If a consultant at St. Vincent's Hospital cannot see a patient, but the consultant up the road can, then we need to have a situation where the consultant does not own the patient and the patient should be directed to whichever consultant can see them quickly. I will send further details specifically on St. Vincent's Hospital to the Deputy.

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