Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the programme for Government. The current waiting time to get tonsils out here is three years. Young children are in pain, suffering and missing out from school because they cannot get their tonsils out. In the past three weeks, I made contact for three people and introduced them to the service in Belfast. Those three people are getting their treatment in Belfast. The irony is - the same as oncology, patients with hips and patients with knee operations - we can refer them to the North, they can go up, have the procedure carried out and fill up the necessary paperwork, and we can return their money when they come back down to the South. It is a scandal that children waiting for tonsil procedures must be sent by us to the North if we want to alleviate their pain and discomfort quickly by having the procedure done even though we have the money to give back to their parents when they come back here. It makes no sense. It follows on from previous questions the Taoiseach was asked here today about HSE mismanagement and the craziness of the situation that is our health service today.

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