Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and his office for facilitating this Topical Issue, which represents cross-party and cross-county support. Fourteen of the 19 Deputies in the south-east are supporting this petition and I thank my colleagues for doing so.

As the Minister of State is aware, there is currently no provision for cardiology cover in Waterford and the south east after 5 p.m. every weekday, and no availability at all at the weekend. It is simply not acceptable in 2017 that time restrictions play such a role in the day-to-day lives and deaths of our people. Last Saturday in excess of 7,000 people took to the streets of Waterford to vent their anger, frustration and hurt.

I have a question to ask and, as I was hoping to ask it of the Minister, Deputy Harris, I want to put on record that I am disappointed he is not present. Why are we in Waterford and the south east being treated as second-class citizens? It is ironic that while we were taking to the streets in Waterford last Saturday, an Air Corps helicopter had to come to Waterford to bring a patient to University Hospital Cork and an ambulance was ferrying another patient to Cork. Why is the south east the only region without 24-7 cardiology cover? Why are we excluded from life-saving care? Make no mistake about it: cardiac intervention saves lives every single day. There is a solution and it is clear what is needed, namely, additional resourcing in the form of a second cath lab with sufficient staff to resource it. That is the solution and that is what we want. This solution would have a two-fold effect. First, it would save lives and, second, it would help to reduce waiting lists in Waterford and the surrounding counties of Tipperary, Kilkenny and Wexford.

The budget allocation for this year is in excess of €14 billion. The cost of providing this second cath lab is a €2.6 million one-off capital investment and an additional €2 million per year to cover running costs. This has to happen sooner rather than later.

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