Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-14
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Ivana Bacik (LAB), Dublin Bay South

Try as the Taoiseach may to dissemble them, the figures do not lie. They point to failure and are indefensible, and I stand over the comment of "shambolic". Anyone watching the news last night will have seen shambolic overcrowding and anyone watching or hearing of the experiences of the patient I referenced, or other patients whom we all know, will know that, while there is of course progress being made in some areas and that is great to see, it is still shambolic for all too many patients and they are still waiting too long.
The Taoiseach talked about waiting times. Of course, that is crucial and the Taoiseach's own plan set a relatively modest target, that 90% of outpatients would wait less than a year by the end of 2025, but that target was missed. Look at the number waiting more than 18 months for an inpatient appointment. That number rose by more than 25% last year. By any measure, the 2025 waiting list action plan failed. Meanwhile, we are hearing advertisements from private hospitals like Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Belfast. That is no way to run a healthcare service, to see private hospitals from other jurisdictions touting for business in this way.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:30+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-14