John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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21. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the amount of day cases handled at University Hospital Waterford so far in 2015 is down 15% on the same period in 2014; the reason elective admissions at UHW are down 9% in the same period; if there are any plans to reopen the second operating theatre at the hospital which was closed in 2013/2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20784/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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There were 7,491 day cases at University Hospital Waterford to the end of April 2014 and 7,237 for the same period in 2015, a reduction in day case activity of 3.4%. This was mainly due to a reduction in dermatology day case activity. In 2014, dermatology services for pigmented lesion clinics were temporarily transferred to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital,Cork, pending the filling of two consultant dermatologist vacancies and the return of one consultant from maternity leave.

In the first four months of 2015, with the exception of dermatology, overall day case activity increased by 3.3% over 2014, due to increased activity in general surgery, ophthalmology, ENT and orthopaedics.

There were 1,514 elective admissions at Waterford to the end of April 2015, compared to1,508 in the same period in 2014 - an increase of 0.4%.

There are eight operating theatres at Waterford, seven of which are functioning at this time. In 2011, two theatres closed for cost containment purposes. One of those theatres reopened in January 2015, to provide additional emergency theatre access. Reopening of the remaining theatre will be kept under review in the context of resource and operational considerations.