Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the Minister of State realises we need more nurses in the neurology services. That is good news about University Hospital Galway. While it will not go the whole way, it will certainly make improvements, with three new appointments in 2022, I hope those appointments will happen in early 2022. I understand that, in the context of some of these matters, filling the position the nurse is leaving will be the issue. He or she may be ready to come into the neurological service but filling the position is an issue. Obviously, a person cannot be taken out of where they are working if there is not someone else to fill it.

I asked the Minister of State about a few specifics, which I probably should not have done because I did not give him advance notice. I appreciate his commitment to reverting to me on those matters.

Excellent work is done in Dublin and Cork in neurological services. Nevertheless, Cork University Hospital, for example, deals with a population of 1.5 million. The recommended outpatient waiting time should be six weeks but I am told the actual time is 18 months to two years. The recommended number of neurology nurse specialists in that area is 20. Overall, we need more neurology nurses.

I thank the Minister of State and appreciate him taking the matter.