Just over 91,000 people are currently waiting over a year for an outpatient appointment in public hospitals, according to latest statistics.

However, the figures show that outpatient waiting list numbers fell between April and May.

Figures from the Department of Health's National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) show that the numbers waiting over 12 months for a first consultant appointment at outpatients was 91,195 at the end of May, compared to 100,498 at the end of April.

According to the latest stats, 3,947 patients nationally are currently waiting over four years for an outpatient appointment.

This compares to 6,708 reported as waiting over four years for an outpatient appointment at the end of April.

A total of 367,783 people are currently on outpatient lists nationally.

Health Minister James Reilly has promised that no patient will be waiting longer than a year for a consultant outpatient appointment by the end of 2013.

Treatment waiting lists continue to rise