Fianna Fáil Press Office
Cllr Jim O’Callaghan
Dublin Bay South

10 November 2015
Minister for Health needs to acknowledge the crisis – O’Callaghan

– Outpatient figures in St Vincent’s soar by 503% –

Fianna Fáil candidate for Dublin Bay South Cllr Jim O’Callaghan has accused the Minister for Health of failing to acknowledge the extent of the crisis in the health service. His comments come as latest figures show that Outpatient waiting lists have dramatically increased by over 500% since the Minister took over the portfolio.

“Since Leo Varadkar became Minister for Health the number of Outpatients waiting for more than 12 months for an appointment at St Vincent’s has risen more than 503% from 104 in July 2014 to a staggering 628 in October 2015.

Cllr O’Callaghan commented, “These figures are inexcusable and are just the latest sign that Minister Varadkar is completely out of his depth. The number of people on waiting lists has been rising steadily for months now yet Minister Varadkar refuses to acknowledge that there is a national crisis.

“It’s time for Minister Varadkar and this Government to wake up and recognise the very serious problem facing our hospitals and the health service in general.”