Just over 160 patients are on waiting lists for brain surgery for six months or more at present, according to latest figures from the Department of Health.

Currently, there are 452 patients awaiting inpatient or day case neurosurgery in Beaumont and Cork University Hospitals, the two neurosurgery centres.

According to statistics provided by the Department of Health to the Oireachtas Health Committee, 164 of these patients are waiting more than six months for operations, while 288 are waiting between zero and six months.

In addition, outpatient neurology waiting lists can stretch to over four years.

Health Minister James Reilly told the Health Committee this week that the aim this year was to have no-one waiting more than eight months for any type of surgery by the end of the year.

The aim was for hospitals to systematically reduce the maximum wait time each year by matching capacity with demand, eliminating inefficiencies and ensuring patients with equal clinical priority are treated in strict chronological order.

On outpatient lists, Minister Reilly said no patient should be waiting longer than 12 months for outpatient appointments by the end of this year.

Capacity analysis was currently being undertaken in all hospitals on meeting this target.

Dr Reilly said all hospitals were developing plans by specialty, including neurology, to address long waiting lists.

He was responding to a query from Senator Jillian Van Turnhout