I raise the urgent issue of waiting lists for orthopaedic surgery, especially hip and knee replacements, at Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore. In recent months, I have received numerous queries from constituents who are in severe pain and unable to engage in day-to-day life while they wait for surgery. Many of them have been told by their consultant that they are a priority but they are still waiting more than eight months, and longer in some cases, without any confirmed date for surgery. This is not acceptable. It is also very frustrating for patients to learn that the same treatment is available across the Border with almost no waiting list. People who can no longer endure the pain are being forced to look outside the State for timely care. Those who cannot afford to do so are left waiting indefinitely. This is not equality. We must increase orthopaedic capacity, reduce waiting times and ensure that those who require urgent surgery undergo their procedures without further delay.

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