Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I offer my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family of Thomas Power, including his wife Bernie, his parents, his sister and extended family. As we know, Tom was buried this morning. His death was very untimely. As the Minister, Deputy Harris, is well aware, considering that we have raised this several times in the House, that cardiac services in University Hospital Waterford are time sensitive. The cath lab opens from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday to Friday. It is, therefore, open for eight hours per day and closed for 16 hours per day. It is closed all day on Saturday and Sunday. It is simply not acceptable that time restrictions play such a role in the day-to-day lives of our people. Cardiology intervention at University Hospital Waterford is time sensitive so if any patient presents requiring cardiac intervention outside the opening hours, his or her only option is an ambulance to Cork.

Last Sunday, Mr. Thomas Power, 39, recently married and expecting his first baby, presented at University Hospital Waterford with chest pains. A decision was taken that he should be transferred to Cork University Hospital. He died in Dungarvan, 30 minutes up the road. As I said, he was laid to rest this morning. The death has come as a huge shock to those of us living in Waterford and the south east. Unfortunately, it has not come as a surprise. Those of us campaigning for the second cath lab and for 24/7 cardiac care have warned for years of the dangers of transporting patients by ambulance for treatment. Dr. Patrick Owens, consultant cardiologist, has warned time and again that this would happen. It has happened. It is one death too many and it can never be allowed to happen again.

The Herity report has underestimated the impact of not having 24/7 cardiac care. It has underestimated the single-point-of-failure situation that we saw at the weekend. It has underestimated the commute time between University Hospital Waterford and Cork University Hospital. How can the Minister continue to stand over the Herity report?

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