Kerry health services and cataracts
Deputy Healy-Rae argued Kerry was being shortchanged in health funding and asked the Minister to act on a plan for cataract treatment. The Minister replied that Kerry had recently received major investment, confirmed NTPF funding for cataract procedures, and said appointments should begin in Easter week.
On page 53 of the programme for Government, it is stated that increases in health budgets were pledged and that this promise has been followed through. It is also stated that the biggest ever allocation for health was provided in budget 2017.
However, in the South/South West hospital group, funding is being sucked dry by County Cork. Kerry is being left subservient to Cork. If this is allowed to continue, University Hospital Kerry will be left as a glorified community hospital because all operations will be taking place in Cork.
A number of months ago, I presented the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, with a programme whereby cataract operations could be undertaken in County Kerry. This plan was agreed with the South/South West hospital group but there has been no movement on the plan to date. Last week, I again reported the case of a man who will go blind under the Minister's watch in County Kerry. That is not right. It should not be allowed to happen.
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Does the Deputy have a question on promised legislation or the programme for Government?
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We in Kerry are not going to play second fiddle to County Cork when it comes to health. The health of a citizen of Kerry is as important as the health of anyone else. I presented the Minister with a clear plan-----
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-----and I ask him to please act upon it. He has money in the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF. Could he please use it?
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I certainly do not want people in Kerry to have a lesser health service than those in Cork or any other part of the country. Very recently, Kerry hospital became only the second hospital in the country to have electronic health records for every baby born in that hospital, which was a significant investment in the hospital.
The issue of cataracts is very important. Deputy Healy-Rae met me about this issue.
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The NTPF has received €5 million funding for 3,000 day-case procedures, many of which will be cataract procedures. I expect patients to start getting appointments in Easter week. Where they are carried out is a matter for the public tendering process which is carried out by the NTPF.
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Some of the best Kerry footballers were born in Dublin hospitals.