Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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949. To ask the Minister for Health if she will report on the HSE delays in ophthalmology routine surgical waitlists at Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital; the number of vacant consultant ophthalmologist posts in St. James’s Hospital and the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital; if blepharoplasty surgery is eligible for NTPF; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66260/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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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 that this places on patients and their families.

I published the Waiting List Action Plan (WLAP) for 2025 in February, representing this Government’s continued commitment to reducing waiting times for patients and improving access to hospital care.

With the multi annual action plan approach, we are progressing towards the ultimate vision of a public healthcare service in which everyone has timely access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it.

My Department is engaging with the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund to develop the action plan for 2026, building on the progress delivered to date, renewing the focus on improving waiting times for patients, and considering the learning from the challenges that arose in 2025.

In relation to the queries raised concerning ophthalmology at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital and St. James's Hospital, as these are a service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

In respect of blepharoplasty surgery, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has advised my Department that it does not have any tenders in place for this procedure.