Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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757. To ask the Minister for Health if progress has been made in the waiting list for treatment of cataracts (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36639/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is acknowledged that many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments. I am conscious of the burden this places on patients and their families.

As part of the multi-annual approach to reducing waiting lists, and just as importantly the length of time that patients are waiting, I published the 2024 Waiting List Action Plan on 27th March. Total funding of €360 million has been provided for the plan this year which sets out 19 Actions across three themes: Delivering Capacity, Reforming Scheduled Care and Enabling Scheduled Care Reform.

The first Waiting List Action Plan (WLAP) was implemented in late 2021, as part of a multi-annual approach encompassing short-term actions to increase capacity and activity in the immediate term, and longer-term reform measures to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists and waiting times.

The 2024 Plan builds on the work of previous plans which have achieved significant progress in overall waiting list reduction and in addressing long waiting times, against a backdrop of significantly increased demand for scheduled care services. This year’s plan aims to achieve a reduction in the overall number of patients on waiting lists while three of the four overarching targets in the Plan are specifically focused on improving waiting times.

With regard to the information requested by the Deputy concerning cataract waiting lists, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has advised that there were 6,141 patients on the public waiting list for cataract surgery as at the end of August 2024. While the number of patients on the waiting list for cataract procedures nationally has increased by 6% since this time last year, the length of time patients are waiting has improved. The number of patients waiting over 12 months has decreased by 13% and the average length of time patients have been waiting has improved.

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.

In relation to the query raised about a particular case, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.