asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting admission to hospitals in each of the health board areas.

I recently replied to a similar question by the Deputy in relation to the Dublin area. Generally through the country the position is that there is no delay in the admission of urgent cases. There are, of course, waiting lists for non-urgent conditions particularly in relation to tonsils and adenoids but I have no evidence that the waiting period is unduly long. In the circumstances I do not consider it worth getting a full report on the position regarding waiting lists from the health boards.