Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government contains a commitment to update the national eye care plan. The Taoiseach made some reference to it earlier this morning. Last night's "Prime Time Investigates - Public vs. Private: The Battle for Care", highlighted very serious issues and discrepancies regarding the time worked in public hospitals by a small number of consultants. I listened to 90 year old John Paul Harrington describe how he would have to wait four years for a cataract operation. The crux of the issue is the failure of the HSE to oversee adherence to consultants' private practice limits.

As a result, some consultants are breaking their limits and spending a disproportionate amount of their publicly contracted time solely dealing with private lists. The Taoiseach is a former Minister for Health. Does he accept it is unacceptable for a consultant who is publicly contracted to do 39 hours' public work to get away with doing as little as 13 hours? Will the Taoiseach ensure that the Minister for Health and the HSE urgently address this issue?

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