More than 550,000 patients are waiting for an outpatient consultation in Irish hospitals.
The latest National Treatment Purchase Fund waiting list figures show the number of patients who were waiting for appointments at the end of April.
The outpatient figure has reached 551,965, including 103,973 who've been waiting for more than 18 months.
70,295 patients, meanwhile, were waiting for an appointment for their inpatient or day case treatment.
Another 22,220 patients were waiting to receive an appointment for their gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Fianna Fáil health spokesperson Stephen Donnelly said the figures show 11% of the country's population are now waiting for an outpatient appointment.
He observed: “The figures for April are truly staggering and represent yet another record high for waiting times. 169,579 of those waiting have been doing so since April of last year.
“Timely access for patients seems further away than ever.
"When you consider that some of these people may then have to endure further lengthy waiting times for diagnostic treatment or surgery, that makes matters even worse."
