Page 53 of the programme for Government deals with health, for which a significant budget of €15 billion is provided. As we all know, waiting lists are a huge challenge. The Minister for Health recently provided me with figures relating to the orthopaedic waiting list at University Hospital Galway. Over 6,000 people are now on the inpatient and outpatient waiting lists, which are spiralling totally out of control. Some people have been waiting four years for an outpatient appointment. Many of these people are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, which is an extremely painful experience, as the Minister and many other Members of this House will be aware. I do not expect the Minister, Deputy Bruton, to be able to give me a full answer. I would like him to ask the Minister for Health or the Taoiseach, with whom I have raised this issue previously, to intervene to do something for the many people who are suffering horrific pain. This problem is spiralling out of control. We need to tackle it.

I know the Minister is very conscious of the need to tackle waiting lists. It is worth mentioning that 7,000 people, including 5,000 elective patients, are treated in our hospitals every working day and are therefore having their pain and concern relieved. Of course there is always increasing pressure to provide more services. Technology is delivering new procedures. The Minister has increased the number of procedures by more than 20% in recent years. Additional procedures are being delivered through a health service that is smaller than it once was. This is a priority. As a result of the initiative I have mentioned, the National Treatment Purchase Fund will this year provide specific care to 20,000 people who have been waiting for a long time.