Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I kicked off questions earlier today. Like my other colleagues, I am disappointed that two of the three questions I asked were not answered.

My first question relates to Professor Higgins. We all have the book. Dr. Herity was tasked with carrying out an independent clinical review of the provision of a second catheterisation laboratory at University Hospital Waterford. He stated he was the clinical director of cardiology at Belfast HSC Trust. I assume, therefore, that he would be the go-to person if there was a review taking place in Belfast. When one considers the likes of Professor Higgins who produced the report on the transition of hospital groups to independent hospital trusts and is the chief academic officer of the hospital group, how was Dr. Herity able to formulate his position when he did not speak to him? It beggars belief. I cannot believe and understand Dr. Herity could not speak to the chief academic officer of the hospital group.

My second point which I made clearly still concerns me and I do not believe it has been answered by Dr. Herity. It relates to the note issued by the HSE which stated that, in its opinion, Waterford would not benefit from having a second catheterisation laboratory. This had to have had some impact on Dr. Herity before he undertook the review. He had to examine all of the facts and figures he had been given, but the HSE told him that, from a financial point of view, it would not be in the best interests of Waterford to have a second catheterisation laboratory. That had to have had an effect and an impact on him. Dr. Herity did not address that point?

I would like to go back to the figures referred to by the Minister of State, Deputy John Halligan. Dr. Herity has told us that the new BCIS minimum is 150, but, when he undertook his report, it was 100. At the time, 62 emergency procedures were undertaken when the laboratory was opened in Waterford, but 77 procedures were bieng undertaken when the laboratory was closed. That gives us a figure of 139. The BCIS minimum was 100 and we had 139, but I do not think Dr. Herity included in his calculations the 77 emergency procedures that were taking place when the laboratory was closed. I do not doubt his integrity or abilities for one minute, but we are talking about the south east which has a population of 500,000. We can dispute the figures all we like, but, no matter how we go at the issue, there are still 350,000 or 400,000 people who will have nowhere to go in an ambulance if on a Friday evening at 5 p.m. someone has a heart attack except to Cork or Dublin. As everyone has stated, it is not possible to get to either place within 90 minutes.

I would appreciate it if Dr. Herity were to answer these questions.