David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)

I will first pick up on that issue of PET scanners. We do not have one in the south east either, other than the one in private hospital. From responses to parliamentary questions I have submitted, I know the business case for a PET scanner has been submitted by University Hospital Waterford. To reinforce how important these scanners are from the witnesses' perspective, they have said they are needed for appropriate diagnosis and for detection at the early stages. What are the potential consequences for patients if they wait too long for a PET scan? In Waterford and the south east, patients have to travel to Cork or Dublin if they cannot avail of the private PET scanner in Waterford.