The Minister for Health is being urged to establish a working group for a new hospital to be developed in Galway to tackle the "chronic" waiting lists.

Sinn Féín Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh made the call after it was revealed 42,516 people are awaiting operations.

He said: "According to the latest figures available 31,417 people are on the outpatient waiting list, 4,744 of those waiting over twelve months. The lists are particularly high for orthopaedics, cardiology, dermatology and ENT.

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"The inpatient waiting lists show that GUH almost doubles its closest rival Beaumont Hospital, for the title of the hospital with the longest waiting lists. 11,099 people are waiting for procedures, a quarter of those waiting over a year.

"I have called again on the Minister to put a working group together to plan for a new hospital in Galway with the appropriate resources and staff available to service the region."

(CD)