A new ophthalmology unit for Cork and Kerry has been officially opened by Tánaiste Micheál Martin in Cork today.
The new facility has seen the transfer of all planned and emergency ophthalmology services from Cork University Hospital and the Mercy University Hospital to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH).
As well as a new surgical theatre, the unit includes laser rooms, a corneal topography room and an electrophysiology room for treatments previously requiring travel to Dublin.
Mr Martin welcomed the opening of the new facility and said he hoped it would, in time, bring an end to the Belfast bus service which has seen thousands of people access medical procedures, particularly cataract operations, in Northern Ireland.
"I would hope so in the fullness of time. We fund that, of course, too, the taxpayer funds that," he said.
"We provided that expressly because when Britain left the EU the cross-border directive no longer applied, but in the interest of patients, we continued to fund a sort of All Ireland approach to accessing services, for cataracts in particular.
"But the numbers are encouraging in terms of this facility, it really is getting a higher through-put and the waiting times are reducing - they need to reduce more - and we need to make sure we fully realise the capacity that the second theatre here provides for us."
CEO of the SIVUH Helen Donovan said the opening of the unit was an "exciting chapter" in the history of the SIVUH.
"We expect to care for approximately 45,000 patients a year," she said.
"This enhanced capacity which will be delivered in our state of the art building will be a vital asset for the future."
