Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 88: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when a consultant urologist will be appointed; when a urology unit will be established at Mayo General Hospital; if her attention has been drawn to the situation where patients have to wait in excess of three years for assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35129/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of hospital services which is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive, HSE. The HSE has informed me that there are three consultant urologists based at University College Hospital, Galway who provide a urology service for the region. These consultants provide outpatient clinics at Mayo General and at the County Hospital, Roscommon.

The National Treatment Purchase Fund, as part of its outpatient waiting list initiative has taken 250 patients off the urology outpatient waiting list in the region since the beginning of October this year. It has also provided inpatient treatment for 286 urology patients from the region this year. The National Treatment Purchase Fund will continue to source inpatient and outpatient services for urology patients on waiting lists at Mayo General Hospital.

I also understand that the National Hospitals Office-Comhairle is examining the existing arrangement for the provision of consultant urological services nationally with a view to making recommendations on the future organisation and development of urological services.