Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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53. To ask the Minister for Health the reason as of the end of March 2017 more than 1,750 children were waiting more than a year for scheduled treatment in the three children's hospitals in Dublin. [20789/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. Consequently, Budget 2017 allocated €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018.

In December 2016, I granted approval to the NTPF to dedicate €5m to a daycase waiting list initiative with the aim of ensuring that no patient will be waiting more than 18 months for a daycase procedure by 30 June 2017. In excess of 2,000 daycases will be managed through this process and patients are already receiving appointments.

In order to reduce the numbers of long-waiting patients, I asked the HSE to develop Waiting List Action Plans for 2017 in the areas of Inpatient/Daycase, Scoliosis and Outpatient Services. The plans have now been finalised and will be communicated shortly.

In relation to the query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.