KERRY Sinn Féin councillor Toireasa Ferris has called for answers on the status of hip and knee replacement procedures at University Hospital Kerry.

Speaking yesterday, Cllr Ferris stated: “Despite reassurances from management that hip and knee replacements would recommend the week beginning the 15th October, we have been informed this has not happened. In fact we are being told there are still funding issues and it will be some time before public procedures will begin again.”

“We have been informed that private patients attending a private hospital in Tralee have had the procedure carried out, in University Hospital Kerry. We have sought clarity from the minister and hospital management on this.”

“We have asked a series of questions including how many public patients were on the list at the time of the suspension of procedures, how many have since been added and why was the public list suspended.”