Reilly insists waiting list target will be met

Health Minister James Reilly has insisted plans to ensure no patient waits more than a year for a consultant appointment after a GP referral can be met by December — despite the fact 88,000 patients still face the delays.

The under-fire Fine Gael minister admitted there are difficulties in cutting back the excessive waits, which are impacting on people’s access to vital care.

However, despite 88,000 people waiting on the lists for over a year — including 16,000 waiting more than four years — when the latest figures were revealed in July, he insisted the zero-tolerance December target can still be met.