There is a reference on page 60 of the programme for Government to improving waiting lists for hospital procedures. Is there any update relating to the €4 million investment needed in Tallaght hospital to provide the much needed operating theatres there? It takes referrals from Dublin hospitals, from the midlands and from Naas hospital in my constituency. The waiting list for adult spinal surgery has been going up for three years and is growing all the time. I raised this issue with the Minister for Health in a meeting back in July. This has been requested by management and the senior spinal surgeon in Tallaght hospital so I appreciate if the Taoiseach could give me an update.

I do not have any information to hand on Tallaght hospital and a parliamentary question to the Minister for Health or a Topical Issue matter would give a more detailed answer to the Deputy than I can offer. In regard to overall waiting lists for surgery, the number of people waiting for inpatient or day case procedures and operations has been falling for three months. I do not have the figures for November but I hope they will continue to go down. If they do go down, we will see four months in a row where there have been shorter waiting lists for people waiting for operations and procedures.

That concludes questions on promised legislation. Four Deputies were not reached.