John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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9. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to address the waiting times for cataract surgery in County Kerry. [20963/16]

John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I raise this topic because I was recently contacted by my local GP about an 84 year old man needing a cataract operation to continue caring for his wife, who has Alzheimer's disease. He needs the operation done to retain his driving licence. He is on a waiting list. It is endless and a continuous problem. Many other GPs have contacted me about this issue. It would take four years to clear the current waiting list. The services were transferred from Cork University Hospital to the South Infirmary, and the waiting lists have gone from bad to worse. I ask that the Minister address this issue, which has a huge impact on the people in County Kerry.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Brassil for raising this important matter with me. He has brought it to my attention personally as well. As I have said to some of the Deputy's colleagues, a key challenge for the health services is to continue to ensure timely access to them while at the same time recognising that there is a constant increased demand on them. In that regard, I have been assured that the HSE seeks to ensure that those whose clinical needs are most urgent are prioritised accordingly, while the needs of others are assessed in terms of those waiting the longest. Therefore, in the case referred to by the Deputy of an 84 year old gentleman, people should be able to look at that situation locally and clinically and see the importance of that procedure.

Improved waiting times for planned or scheduled care for all patients is a key priority for the HSE, my Department and the Government, and I will not repeat what I have said to some of the Deputy's colleagues already regarding our plans to reactivate the NTPF and to put additional resources into dedicated waiting list initiatives, involving a minimum of €50 million in the budget due to be delivered in October. Only this week my officials have been meeting with the NTPF and the HSE to draw up terms of reference to make sure that we are ready to roll out the programme as quickly as possible, once budget 2017 has been implemented.

On the Deputy's query regarding the position in County Kerry, while 155 patients with addresses in County Kerry are awaiting cataract procedures, the waiting list has decreased by 20% in the past 12 months. I am also informed that the South-South West Hospitals Group is developing a single ophthalmology service operating on two sites, to which the Deputy alluded, at University Hospital Waterford and the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork. To particularly try to assist patients from County Kerry, the group is also exploring the introduction of an imaging system to enhance and streamline ophthalmology services for patients seen in County Kerry. I will ask the relevant officials to investigate the specific case if the Deputy will provide me with the details. Although there has been a reduction in the waiting list of approximately 20%, I accept that there is much more to be done.

John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister and will bring the case to his attention, given that it urgently needs attention. I will give him some figures, given that he likes to deal with facts. In 2015, 680 patients were seen in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, of whom 98 were from County Kerry and 582 from County Cork. While I do not want to get into a turf war, the figures speak for themselves. While 14.4% of the patients were from County Kerry, 85.4%, or six times that number, were from County Cork. The population of County Kerry is 145,000, compared to 519,000, or three times that number, in County Cork. Given that the size of the ageing population in County Kerry is greater, the need should also be greater. However, we are only seeking parity, but something is not adding up. People from County Cork are being seen quicker. The facts and figures speak for themselves. I ask the Minister to investigate the matter.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will understand if I do not get into a turf war either. His leader probably would not appreciate my becoming involved in a Cork v. Kerry spat. The Deputy's point is very serious about ensuring equity of access to the health service. The idea of the hospital group structure is not to look at the local hospital or county but to take a geographically wider view. This is why the South-South West Hospitals Group has been established. It is considering an additional imaging system which could be put in place to enhance and streamline ophthalmology services for the people of County Kerry. There could be some benefit to it. There has been a significant reduction in the waiting list in counties Cork and Kerry being grouped together. I want to see a further reduction in waiting lists, which is why I intend to roll out a number of new waiting list initiatives shortly.

John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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We are trying to improve services. The service has moved from one hospital to another. Perhaps it might be worth examining whether the reconfiguration of services has resulted in a reduction in waiting times. If it has not, it should. We must hold a department to account. I am sure there was much lobbying to have it provided in one facility. It is now in place and we need to get it working. Is the NTPF for inpatients only or does it also apply to outpatients? If it does not, perhaps we might have this discipline included in it.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I will do as the Deputy has asked and have the change in waiting times examined. I have had a very open conversation with the NTPF. Its terms of reference are broad. It exists to carry out specific tasks as are assigned to it by the Minister for Health of the day. I have asked that we have a conversation about other areas where it considers it could make a difference. The optimal position which we want to reach is one where the public health service meet the demands of public patients. However, I also acknowledge that the Deputy and a number of his colleagues on both sides of the House constantly raise the fact that there are a number of acute cases where patients have been waiting extraordinarily long times for procedures. Although they are often relatively basic procedures, they could make a major difference to their lives. If the NTPF is a useful and pragmatic way to address this issue, I am very open to it. I will have the issue examined.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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A number of questions have been tabled in the names of Members who are not present. I remind Members that, unless they have designated somebody to take a question, I cannot take it and must pass over it.