Tonsil surgery waiting times
Deputy Michael Healy-Rae complained that children were waiting years for tonsil surgery and that families were seeking treatment in Belfast. Minister of State Jim Daly said there was no special tonsil issue compared with other specialties and that patients could avail of treatment elsewhere in the EU.
We would like it abolished but I will meet the Minister of State.
Comment on this
I refer to the programme for Government. The current waiting time to get tonsils out here is three years. Young children are in pain, suffering and missing out from school because they cannot get their tonsils out. In the past three weeks, I made contact for three people and introduced them to the service in Belfast. Those three people are getting their treatment in Belfast. The irony is - the same as oncology, patients with hips and patients with knee operations - we can refer them to the North, they can go up, have the procedure carried out and fill up the necessary paperwork, and we can return their money when they come back down to the South. It is a scandal that children waiting for tonsil procedures must be sent by us to the North if we want to alleviate their pain and discomfort quickly by having the procedure done even though we have the money to give back to their parents when they come back here. It makes no sense. It follows on from previous questions the Taoiseach was asked here today about HSE mismanagement and the craziness of the situation that is our health service today.
Comment on this
Deputy Varadkar is the Taoiseach at the end of the day and he is a previous Minister for Health, in case he had forgotten about it.
Comment on this
I am an expert on tonsils as well. There is no difference in the waiting list for tonsils or no particular issue arising above and beyond that with any other specialties for which people are waiting.
Deputy Michael Healy-Rae is talking about people going to Belfast, which is an available avenue. That is a European-wide initiative. Every country in the EU is able to avail of services in any other EU country. That is not unique to Ireland. We are not merely exporting, which is the narrative that is being put out there, these operations abroad. It is the right of every citizen of the EU to avail of a service in any other EU country and we are only fulfilling our obligation under EU law.
A little while ago, I referred to an additional €35 million being given to the NTPF this year to purchase these operations. Many of those are not done abroad but are done in the private sector in Ireland. There is capacity within the private sector to deliver and to help with the waiting lists. Much of the money that is being spent is being spent in our own country as well.