John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not happy with the Minister's reply. This Government and former Minister committed to a 24-7 service. The cath lab is open from Monday to Friday until 5.30 p.m. and, despite the fact that Waterford is one of the busiest regional hospitals in the country, it closes at the weekend. Lives are being lost. I was recently in contact with the Minister's office concerning one of these lives. The person is Andrew Doherty, who was admitted to the cardiac unit in Waterford last October for ten days. During that time, he had two stents implanted and was transferred to the medical ward for surgery. He began to feel chest pains on Sunday afternoon, but no doctor was called or consultant informed about the change in his condition. As it was the weekend, the cath lab was closed. The family was told not to worry and that he was having a panic attack. Mr. Doherty passed away that night, and a junior doctor whom I contacted told his wife he did not know the man's history and could do practically nothing until the consultants returned on Monday morning. Why is the Minister talking about volume when this is about people's lives? Perhaps one life can be saved over a weekend. The Minister made a cast-iron guarantee to the people of Waterford. Some 15,000 people marched on the streets of Waterford two years ago. After the march, the then Minister for Health promised a 24-hour service. Now I am looking to hear a yes-or-no answer. Will the service be provided before the end of the current term? If not, there will be another 15,000 people on the streets of Waterford shortly.

See this speech in context