The Minister for Health announced last week at the launch of the National Treatment Purchase Fund strategy for 2017-19 that driving down the length of time patients are waiting for procedures is a priority in 2017. I am glad further funding has been announced. Will the Taoiseach state in the House whether this will lead to a reduction in the waiting lists in Kerry and Cork where, as I have said before, people are going blind while waiting to have cataract procedures performed?

I highlighted to the Minister before Christmas a practical policy whereby we can make Kerry and Cork a centre of excellence for dealing with cataract operations. I am asking the Minister to ensure a certain amount in the NTPF is concentrated on the proposal I gave to him before Christmas. It will work, it will be value for money and it will make County Kerry in particular a centre of excellence for dealing with cataract operations. We are currently not performing any operations whereas we did before and we can do so again. We can buy the treatment in County Kerry.

I assure Deputy Healy-Rae that I will bring his express comment and request to the attention of the Minister personally. Clearly, if extra money has been made available, we welcome that. Medical and clinical decisions are made as to how that should be spent. I will advise the Minister of the Deputy's comments in respect of a backlog of people who are having difficulty because of cataracts that need to be dealt with.