Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

I raise the issue of the 30,000 GP referral letters that are sitting in a pile in some office in Dublin. Members must realise that this is extremely worrying for the many people waiting for such consultations. It is probable that approximately one in every 100 Irish people is affected. Lessons must be learned in this regard. Information technology must be used. Other jurisdictions are much better at using IT systems for such matters. In the United Kingdom, for instance, those who need to see a consultant having visited a GP are provided with a website address, a password and a telephone number. They can return home, check their diaries and make their own appointments later. This system works and completely removes the need to write referral letters. It constitutes another example of Ireland's failure to use information technology to the full. Last month Members learned about a report which demonstrated that information technology was not being used within the policing system. In this case, it is clear that information technology in use in the health sector is not optimal. I call for a debate on how services such as health, policing and so on can use information technology and the gains that can be made in using the great technological advances made.