Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues and other Deputies in extending my condolences to the Power family on the death of their loved one. I understand he was a patient who passed away while being transferred between hospitals in Waterford and Cork. I do not want to comment on an individual case in too much detail because of confidentiality and other issues. It would be premature, in the absence of a clinical case review, an inquest or an autopsy, to say precisely what the cause of death was and whether it could have been prevented if certain clinical decisions had not been made or if certain facilities had bed put in place. I have no doubt that there will be a clinical case review or an inquest, as appropriate, which will give us the answers we need.

In relation to the specific questions I have been asked about the second catheterisation laboratory, cath lab, the HSE has issued a tender for the provision of a temporary mobile cath lab. Obviously, tenders take a bit of time and it will depend on how many companies tender for it, etc. Given that it is now out to tender after various delays, it is anticipated that the second cath lab, the mobile cath lab, will be in place by September.

Separately, an additional €500,000 in funding has been provided to University Hospital Waterford to enable it to provide additional cath lab sessions every week as per Dr. Herity's recommendations and the cath lab will now be funded to provided 12 sessions, that is, 48 hours of activity per week. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has requested the HSE maximise the benefit for patients from this additional funding in respect of both additional sessions at the existing cath lab and also temporary use of the second cath lab when it arrives for a specific period in order to improve waiting times at the hospital.

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