Reilly claims major drop in outpatient waiting lists
Health Minister James Reilly has revealed what he says is a dramatic drop in those waiting for an outpatient appointment for over a year.
In March of last year out patient waiting lists were published for the first time, with more than 380,000 people waiting for an appointment in public hospitals.
Of these more than 103,000 were waiting for more than 12 months, some of them for up to four years.
Minister Reilly told the Dáil tonight that is now down to just over 4,600.
"That's over 98,000 people in the last nine months [who] have come off the list," he said.
"That is an extraordinary achievement by the men and women who work in our health service and I want to take the opportunity here tonight to salute them."
