1,250 patients in the Mid-West have been waiting over a year for an outpatient appointment at one of the region's hospitals.
Figures released by the HSE show two-thirds of these have been waiting at to be seen at Dooradoyle, with nearly 100 patients have also been waiting over twelve months for an appointment in Ennis.
A further 4,900 patients have been waiting for between six months and a year across the University of Limerick Hospital Group.
The statistics also confirm earlier reports of an 11.2 million euro overspend at UHL up to the end of May, and that over 6% of staff were absent from Ennis General on a typical day that month.
