Help for hospital waiting list boy

A 12-year-old Tipperary boy, waiting five years for a hospital appointment, is to avail of a charity auction to pay for private treatment.

The boy's mother decided yesterday to accept the charity offer after learning that her son's position on the waiting list is the same as it was a year ago.

Kieran Flanagan of Mountain View, Carrick-on-Suir, was seven when his doctor sought an appointment for a breathing problem with a consultant in March 1996.

Waterford Regional Hospital informed Labour TD Mr Brian O'Shea yesterday that Kieran was 150th on the waiting list - the same position he was in on June 26th last year.

Kieran's mother, Ms Kathleen Flanagan, said she would accept an offer from a man from Kerry to auction a Manchester United jersey, auto graphed by Roy Keane, to pay for private treatment.

The man made the offer last week after Kieran's case was reported in The Irish Times.

Ms Flanagan was very grateful for the offer but thought it was "a scandal" that she had to resort to charitable assistance.

The South Eastern Health Board said last week that a number of measures to alleviate the ear, nose and throat waiting list were planned, including recruitment of a fourth specialist.