Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the non-existence of paediatric ophthalmology services in Drogheda and the entire south Louth area. More than 2,000 schoolchildren still have not received appointments since last September. That includes children with conditions such as strabismus. There are no appointments and no follow-ups. There is only one ophthalmologist in Dundalk, who is seeing a restricted number of as few as six to seven children each day. It looks like there has been a complete abandonment of children who need and use these services. Can the Tánaiste indicate what is being done to ensure that these services are resumed as a matter of urgency? Is this the HSE's failure to prioritise recruitment? If so, is that being addressed urgently? We heard earlier of other cases in which the HSE does not appear to be prioritising recruitment, although there is, as I am sure the Tánaiste would agree, a massive problem with it.

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