Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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340. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting appointments in respect of cataract treatment in County Louth; and the number waiting for six, 12, 24 and in excess of 24 months, respectively, in tabular form. [46634/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for the Government and €50 million was provided to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) in 2018 to secure treatment for patients. The Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan, published last April outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018.

The Action Plan places a particular focus on cataract surgery and includes a commitment that the NTPF will provide 5,000 cataract procedures to patients. In addition, the NTPF commits to offer treatment to all clinically suitable patients waiting more than 9 months for a cataract procedure.

The NTPF advise that as of the end of October there were 2 patients waiting for a cataract procedure in Louth County Hospital and Our Lady's of Lourdes Hospital. There is a standard care pathway for patients attending for cataract treatment within the Louth and Drogheda area whereby the patient is assessed by the Community Ophthalmologist, and following assessment, and if deemed to require surgery, are placed directly onto the inpatient/daycase waiting list for cataract surgery at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin.