Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 1996

Vol. 460 No. 6

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn

Question:

124 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Health the number of people currently on the public in-patient waiting list; the number of people waiting for public hospital beds at the end of each month in 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1759/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick-East): Information regarding the number of people waiting for public hospital beds is collected by my Department at the end of each quarter. The latest available information in respect of 1995 is as follows:

	Total Public Waiting List
March 1995	27,475
June 1995	27,696
September 1995	27,004

The December 1995 figures are at present being collated by my Department and I will write to the Deputy with the information requested as soon as it is available.

In June 1993, when the first waiting list initiative commenced, the total in-patient waiting list for all specialities was 40,130. By 30 September 1995 this figure had been reduced to 27,004. Since it commenced the initiative has reduced the overall in-patient waiting list figure by 13,126 or almost 33 per cent and waiting times have improved considerably. The Government has made an additional £7 million available in 1996 to allow work in reducing excessive waiting times to continue.