Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In respect of University Hospital Waterford and the very sad and tragic event that took place over Sunday, I sympathise with the Power family after the tragic loss of Mr. Thomas Power.

As the Taoiseach knows, a young farmer who had only got married last year was told on arrival at University Hospital Waterford that the cardiac care unit was closed at the weekend. He was taken by ambulance to Cork, but he did not survive the journey. The Taoiseach knows that the provision in Waterford of a cardiac catheterisation laboratory, cath lab, as a matter of urgency has been under consideration for over one year. The south east has a population of 500,000 people and needs a 24-hour, seven days a week, cardiac service. It is a year since the mobile cath lab was announced and it still has not been delivered. On the programme for Government, when will what has been committed to be provided?

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