The health minister has admitted he knew that some people waiting for hospital appointments were not included on waiting lists.

But Simon Harris claims he did not know the extent of the problem, or that there was a separate specific list of such patients.

He announced tonight that a surgery theatre in Crumlin children's hospital, to deal with backlogs in scoliosis surgery, will open in April.

In the Dáil this evening he says he's more concerned about providing solutions, than wondering how official figures were compiled: