By Cillian Doyle.
Over 36,000 are waiting for colonoscopies in public hospitals.
That's according to Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath who raised the issue to Tánaiste Leo Varadkar in the Dail yesterday.
He says that Covid-19 has consumed everything:
"These are shocking figures - you talk here in reams about the vaccines and everything else but this is cancer growing inside people - and many, many people will die - probably more will die with it than die with Covid."
"Covid has consumed everything"
The Independent Party TD also raised concerns about 'basic health care' for people since the pandemic began.
McGrath told Tánaiste Leo Varadkar that it is shocking:
"36,820 people waiting for a colonoscopy in the country - and there is a 59% increase in people waiting for a scope since the start of the pandemic."
"I've asked for figures for how many people have got seriously ill since - it's truly shocking - and the hospitals are closed to people."
