There are calls for the HSE recruitment ban to be lifted, to tackle Ireland's out of control waiting lists.
The latest figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show that more than half a million people were waiting for hospital outpatient appointments at the end of August.
The total is now 569,498.
University Hospital Waterford is one of the worst-performing hospitals with 41,764 waiting for an initial outpatient appointment. That's up from 40,196 at the end of July.
The Mater has the longest list with 45,129, Galway is second with 43,620 people waiting.
However, UHW has more patients waiting for 18 months or more than any other hospital in the country. 12,245 are on the outpatient list in Waterford for a year and a half or more.
Some of the busiest departments in Waterford include:
Otolaryngology (ENT) 9,411 3,868 are waiting 18 months+
Orthopaedics 7,028 1,682 are waiting 18 months+
Dermatology 5,087 1,601 are waiting 18 months+
Opthalmology 3,323 694 are waiting 18 months+
Fianna Fáil Health Spokesperson, Stephen Donnelly, said the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health Simon Harris have repeatedly failed to halt the relentless upward surge in people looking for help.
Mr Donnelly said: "For every single person waiting more than a year-and-a-half, there are now seven people. What that means is that more than 100,000 men, women and children in Ireland are waiting.
"They are suffering, they are deteriorating and getting sicker in some cases, and in some cases, they are dying just waiting to see a doctor. It is an outrage."
