Aontú has obtained statistics from the Department of Health which it said show that there are 500 children and teenagers waiting for ophthalmology treatments or assessments in the Mayo area.
Aontú representative for Mayo, Paul Lawless, said: "We, in Aontú, have obtained statistics from the Department of Health, which show that the number of young people waiting for eye treatments or assessments in Mayo has increased in the last year.
"As of December 2020, there were 500 young people on the waiting list. This compares with 484 for the same period the previous year, and 263 in 2018. Shockingly, the documents we have obtained also show that some of these young people have been waiting for up to 137 weeks for appointments.
"There is nobody on the waiting list in Sligo. I'm calling on the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, to ensure regional balance in terms of investment in health centres and hospitals in rural Ireland. No child or young person should be left waiting up to three years for an eye appointment, assessment, treatment or surgery.
"There is a trend evident in these statistics, the waiting list is getting bigger and bigger each year. This isn't sustainable, and we need radical change and investment.
"Notwithstanding Brexit, I will continue to organise buses to Belfast for eye surgery under the new Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme, when restrictions are lifted.
"The new legislation came into effect on January 1 and will be available until December 31. The legislation makes no conditions in terms of age. I am happy to facilitate treatment in the north for the minors across Mayo who are stuck on ophthalmology waiting lists," he said.
