Hospital waiting lists will be cut by almost 20 per cent by the end of the year under new government targets.
It's expected around 1.5 million people will be added to waiting lists this year because of Covid backlogs.
The new 350 million euro plan aims to ensure 1.7 million people are treated and removed to bring the list to under 600 thousand.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says people requiring treatment need to get quicker access:
"The wait causes huge anxiety. A lot of the time patients are waiting in a lot of pain, and a lot of time while they're waiting, they're getting sicker or their condition is deteriorating. In Ireland today, too many people are waiting too long for healthcare."
