‘What is going on?’ - ‘Huge backlog’ amid absence of ‘vital service’ in south Tipperary
Tipperary South TD Seamus Healy raised the issue with Tánaiste Simon Harris in the Dáil recently
There is a “huge backlog” of people waiting for a “vital service” in south Tipperary, the Dáil has heard.
Independent TD Seamus Healy raised the lack of consultant eye disease services during a recent ‘Questions on Policy or Legislation’ session.
Deputy Healy said: “I want to raise again the fact that the people of south Tipperary have no consultant ophthalmology service.
“There has been no eye service for almost two years now. The HSE has failed in its duty to provide that vital service.
“We have no consultant-led service, no optometry clinics and no nurse-led clinics. As a result there is a huge backlog of 3,000 people, with hundreds of children who have never been seen.”
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He went on to ask why the service has not been reinstated and what the plan is moving forward.
“There are hundreds of people with glaucoma who either have never been seen or need follow-up and some may be facing blindness.
“I know the ophthalmology department at the county clinic in Clonmel has been reallocated to other services, so what is going on?
“Is there a plan to downgrade or transfer the services out of south Tipperary? When will we have and see a consultant-staffed service in operation again in the county, please?”
In response to Deputy Healy, Tánaiste Simon Harris acknowledged that it was not the first time that he had raised the issue in the Dáil.
Deputy Harris continued: “It does seem to have been going on for a very long time.
“Truthfully, I do not know the factual reason, whether it is regarding an inability to recruit or not. I know it often can be.”
The Tánaiste concluded by saying he would ask the Minister for Health to contact Deputy Healy directly on the matter.