Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Sinn Féin party on bringing forward this very important motion. It is, yet again, with great frustration that I speak on this issue. Many of us have spoken time and again but the Minister is clearly not heeding us. He needs to take action because this cannot go on any longer. We cannot allow our citizens to languish on long waiting lists with nothing being done about it. We need an efficient health service that cares for people. In May of this year the Government was presiding over a waiting list of 707,000 people, which is incredible and unacceptable. This waiting list includes, for example, children suffering from juvenile arthritis. As of 22 May, 120 children were awaiting inpatient rheumatology treatment and 976 were awaiting outpatient treatment. Of these, 1,200 children have been waiting beyond the Sláintecare recommended wait time of 12 weeks.

I have been contacted by many distressed parents on this issue. It is unacceptable. We need urgent intervention. If we really want to be a caring society, let us show that we care and let us lead by example. We know there are 3,180 older people waiting for cataract surgery. Again, we see that it is the most vulnerable - the young and the elderly - who are suffering.

According to a survey carried out by the Association of Optometrists Ireland, the average wait time across the country is 28 months and up to five years in some areas. We also know the overcrowding in our hospitals is having a major impact on waiting lists. It is leading to the cancellation of the much sought-after elective surgery that an elderly patient or young person needs.

We need to take action. Today, as we gather in this Chamber, there are 30 people awaiting a proper bed at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. That is totally unacceptable but is a regular occurrence. We need action from the Minister, not a great, aspirational speech. He needs to prove himself as Minister for Health and he is not doing that. He is homing in on certain areas with a certain agenda but he is neglecting many in society. It needs to stop.

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