Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. In fairness, he has highlighted the seriousness of this issue to a person's quality of life, safety and well-being. As I stated, the €5 million was to treat in excess of 2,000 patients. The NTPF has transferred 2,500 patient files, because not every patient will be in a position to accept treatment for a variety of personal reasons. Today, 631 of these patients have accepted an offer of treatment and 178 of them have received their procedure. I expect this number to continue to grow apace because it is fully funded and fully authorised.

The point made by Deputy Moynihan about doing more in primary care hits the nail entirely on the head. There is more we can do with regard to primary care by services in the community. As the Deputy may know, the HSE is about to finalise a report on a review of primary care eye services, the aim of which is to look at how much more can be done in primary care, with an increased emphasis on maximising the delivery of a comprehensive service in primary care, which thereby, as the Deputy correctly said, creates capacity in hospitals to provide more complex ophthalmology services. The programme for Government commits to developing a national eye care plan, including the evaluation of the Sligo model for cataract services. The Sligo model is largely one where more services are carried out in the community. I expect to have more information for the Deputy on this in the coming weeks and I will revert to him.

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