WATCH: 'Belfast or Blind' cataract surgery bus makes 100th journey from Cork to north

THE Belfast or Blind bus, which takes people from Cork to Belfast for cataract surgery, reached its milestone 100th journey at the weekend in what a Cork TD described as a ‘sad indictment’ of the Government.

The service, which was started by Cork South-West Independent TD Michael Collins and Kerry Independent TD Danny Healy Rae in 2017, brings busloads of people from all over Cork to Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Belfast for surgery which is performed under the cross-border directive.

Mr Collins said 24 people departed from Bishopstown on Saturday morning on the bus’s 100th journey.

“A total of 24 people from all over Cork City and county departed on bus 100,” said Mr Collins.

“A lot of people are very grateful to be going to Belfast for this operation as it means they can keep their licence and continue to drive.

“When you consider this procedure takes 25 minutes it is a sad indictment on the Irish Government that this service is still required and so popular.”

Mr Collins said he continues to receive numerous phone calls about the Belfast or Blind bus, with people “in desperation” coming to him for help.

“When the bus was initiated a few years ago I never thought we would have reached this number.

“There was also no travelling during Covid so the number should have already exceeded 100.

“The number of people requesting this service keeps pouring in. I keep getting calls from people looking to book a place on the bus and get their cataracts done in Belfast.

“People come to me in desperation, which is very sad.”

Mr Collins said the demand for the bus shows the need for more cataract services in Cork.

“I will keep organising buses as long as the demand is still there,” he added.

“Back in 1978, I used to feed my grandmother in the Schull Community Hospital because she was blind. She failed to get an operation in 1978.

“Fast forward to 2022, we have 3,200 people taken to the North to save their sight, so nothing has changed.”