Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will supply in tabular form the number of persons waiting for colonoscopies in each hospital for less than three months, more than three and less than six months, more than six and less than nine months, more than nine and less than 12 months, and greater than 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11638/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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As set out in the HSE's Service Plan for 2013, targets are that no person should have to wait more than four weeks for an urgent colonoscopy and no person should have to wait more than 13 weeks for routine GI endoscopy (that is either a colonoscopy or gastroscopy) once placed on a hospital daycase waiting list. By the end of 2012, the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for a routine endoscopy procedure had fallen by 99%, from 4,590 in December 2011 to 36 at the end of December 2012, while the HSE's December Performance Report showed no-one waiting more than four weeks for urgent colonoscopy. While 2013 will of course be challenging, the targets remain in place and the SDU will continue to work to maintain the improvements shown to date. Below are the latest monthly figures for national waiting list data on colonoscopies.

National Colonoscopy Waiting List – January 2013

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