The minister added that it was not satisfactory that patients had to wait longer than they should for hospital treatment, but said that at no point was safety compromised.

BBC: Ulster Hospital

"If safety is compromised, there is no credibility to speak of, " he said.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

"So in all of that, let's not have a message going out that patient safety was compromised - it wasn't, " Mr Poots added.

BBC: Ulster Hospital