In recent days the HSE said it has lost €22 million because of people not attending appointments with doctors and hospitals. How did the HSE bulk up the amount to €22 million? How many people have died while they were waiting for an appointment?

That is not relevant to the Order of Business.

Yes, it is.

I agree that it is very important.

My question is why it is still taking a year and a half and two years for people to have cataract operations. We spoke about the issue many times last year yet in 2017 the same thing is happening and we are getting letters saying people will have to wait for a year and a half and two years. That is not acceptable for the people of counties Kerry and Cork. Why can we not introduce the Sligo model throughout the country and give all the people the same assistance?

Nor is it acceptable that medical doctors and personnel should be left hanging about when people have been notified of an appointment and decide not to turn up for it.

That is something that is very easy to rectify. Any young boy or girl who is going to training, a football match or anything else will not only get a notice but a text to remind them. To put it mildly, it is most unfortunate that people refuse to turn up for appointments with doctors or medical personnel. There are always occasions when this can happen but it is very easy to send a text or message to say that something has happened and that you cannot be there and somebody else can have that appointment. I have seen doctors waiting around in hospitals for a person to turn up but there is no word. That is not good enough either.