Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is important to reiterate those 24. For the second cath lab or any lab to open, you have to staff it. Twenty-four staff were funded. They are in place, 22 permanent and two agency, which is fantastic. We are seeing the fruits of that. Both cath labs are open five days per week and the additional hours this provides mean the waiting list for elective procedures in the cath labs is one of the lowest in the country, at under three months.

I have been informed that previously where an inpatient might have had to wait up to a week for a procedure, that is now happening within 48 hours. By having the extra capacity in the second cath lab, we are seeing the rewards, but we cannot take our eye off the main issue. Our next step is to get weekend cover. I look forward to working with the Senator on that.