Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

While important progress is being made in ensuring quicker access for children, we all know the waiting lists are still too long. They have been too long for a very long time and Covid-19 made them worse. In response, we adopted a multi-annual approach and we have had several waiting list action plans. We will shortly publish the waiting list action plan for this year.

While I fully accept, as we all do, that the waiting lists for children are still far too long, particularly in some specialties, including spinal to which the Deputy referred, it is important to acknowledge that, thanks to the work of our healthcare workers, important progress is being made. Last year, the hospital waiting lists for children fell by approximately 3,800. That is 3,800 fewer boys and girls waiting for hospital care now than were waiting this time last year. Critically, there has also been a focus on those who were waiting longest, more than 18 months and more than 12 months. I am happy to report that the number of children waiting more than one year, which is one of the number I have really been pushing the HSE to bring down, is down 26% now versus last year. That means 6,100 fewer children have been waiting for more than a year, which is good to see. The number of those waiting more than a year and a half fell by 40% last year. There is still some way to go. As we look to the future, our goal is to have no child waiting more than ten to 12 weeks. Important progress was made last year and that will continue this year.

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