Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the update. I think we are probably where we were last year. There is no major change. More than 1,100 people are on a waiting list. Unfortunately, 329 adults have been waiting for more than 12 months. It is probably that cohort who have been talking to me. That is a really significant figure.

Something needs to be done about the CHO 4 area regarding where it is going with this and other issues. How will we make sure that staffing levels in this area are appropriate compared with other areas? There needs to be a national approach. If we were to look for the figures across the entire country and compare this with other places, I am nearly assured this is the highest in the country. There needs to be a combined approach and even the potential of moving staff from other parts of Ireland to this location to make sure that the Cork-Kerry region can actually work on what we are dealing with. It is a huge waiting list. There has been no significant move in the past 12 months. I suggest that the national approach, which obviously involves recruitment, should also have the relocation of staff as key. A programme needs to be put in place to move staff to this location, otherwise I will be back here next October with the same Commencement debate, the same figures, and the same people calling me in the office asking what in the name of God is happening.