Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is aware and understands this issue. He is at the coalface of it, as are the patients. It is about bringing the two sides closer together. I am aware the Minister realises the urgency of the situation.

I know a patient who had cataract problems and was on a waiting list but could not wait because he was blind. He lived alone and he was blind. He could not drive, communicate, read the newspaper, look at television or anything. His friends, neighbours and family came together to get the surgery done privately. I asked at the time, given the situation, whether the HSE could perhaps make a contribution towards it because the patient has to pay back the money. I received an ongoing, rolling maul of a reply to the question. That is one year ago now. We need to show we are compassionate and that the kind of progress to which the Minister referred is being made. While I know it is his intention do that, we need it to happen on the ground in a way that has not happened before. There has been progress in this regard. While I am fully aware of that progress, we need more of it.

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