Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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634. To ask the Minister for Health if he will expedite a referral to Saint James' Hospital in Dublin 8 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry in view of that person's circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14875/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that it is contrary to the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013 for me to make a direction to the HSE or a hospital to benefit or prioritise any individual person or patient.

The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. Regarding the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.