Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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451. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 792 of 9 June 2015, his views on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway who has endured severe continuous pain and discomfort for over a year and who has been denied the comfort and benefit of any information whatsoever regarding a date for an appointment for surgery at University Hospital Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26183/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

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. In relation to your further query in this matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.