Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is good news that there will be more money available in 2019 but in terms of the here and now there are 1,136 people waiting. When the Minister took office in May 2016 there were 65 in the same category. That is a seventeenfold increase in that time. Nationally, the Minister is aware that the outpatient lists have hit another record high of 515,547 with almost 150,000 of those patients waiting over a year. While I am pleased that the NTPF is finally to be used for outpatients I have a concern being from the north west, the marginalised part of the country in all disciplines and all budgetary Votes, about what proportion of the 40,000 places will be reserved for the Saolta group and, in particular, Sligo University Hospital and Letterkenny. It is not just my county because as I am sure the Minister is well aware Sligo University Hospital services five counties or at least part thereof. There were 20 people waiting more than a year for an orthopaedic appointment in May 2016 but now there are 475. I am glad that the Minister mentioned another ENT clinic. The waiting list for that was 51 in May 2016 but now it is 764. I will let the Minister respond to that before I conclude.

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