Vol. 478 No. 6
55 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health the reason hip and knee replacement operations at the regional orthopaedic unit, Navan Hospital, County Meath, have been cancelled; when they will be resumed; if he will give details of the current waiting list for such operations; the impact on the waiting list of these cancellations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11728/97]
Limerick East): I have been advised by the North-Eastern Health Board that due to the recent paramedics dispute it was necessary to cancel eight total hip replacement operations and one knee replacement operation at the regional orthopaedic unit, Our Lady's Hospital, Navan.
I understand that at present there are 135 people on the waiting list for hip replacement operations and 17 people on the waiting list for knee replacement operations. I have been assured by the board that, now that the paramedics concerned have returned to work, operations will resume as normal and every effort will be made to admit those on the waiting list at the earliest possible opportunity.
