Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I outlined to Deputy MacSharry and his colleague, Deputy Curran, with the additional funding for the NTPF in 2019, we will be able to see a significant increase in the number of outpatient appointments. The Deputy's party has acknowledged the progress made in inpatient day cases where there has been a very significant reduction of 16% from the peak in the number of people waiting for a hospital operation or appointment. We now need to apply that same level of scrutiny to our outpatient lists. I am very pleased that we are in a position, through the NTPF, to fund the additional ENT clinic on a weekly basis from next month in Sligo. I accept there is more to be done and that it is the Deputy’s job to make the case for his region. I will have to approach this with fairness based on clinical need. We are driving the bus but there are many people employed within the health service to come up with ideas and put forward waiting list plans for consideration in respect of funding and I look forward to receiving them.

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