Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that patients in the south east, including a person (details supplied) must wait two to three years for an appointment with a hospital-based orthopaedic consultant; her views on whether this constitutes an acceptable level of service for patients who are often in severe pain and sometimes immobilised with orthopaedic complaints; the steps that are being taken by her and the Health Service Executive to ensure that this service is substantially improved without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24615/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The management of out-patient waiting lists is a matter for the HSE and the individual hospitals concerned.

I wish to advise the Deputy that due to industrial action affecting the Health Service Executive it is not possible for the Executive to supply the information requested. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will be called for a procedure. [24616/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that due to industrial action affecting the Health Service Executive it is not possible for the Executive to supply the information requested.

However, I would like to advise the Deputy that the scheduling of patients for hospital treatment is a matter for the consultant concerned in each case and is determined on the basis of clinical need. Should the patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he/she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant involved.