Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his answer. I welcome the fact that he has said that it is time for a full national review of primary PCI. Unfortunately, since five o'clock this evening, the cath lab is closed in Waterford while we are here discussing it. If another Thomas Power presents, we are still going to have the same issue. I ask that there would be no interference from the HSE with regard to the terms of reference for this report. Clearly, as the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, pointed out, there was interference the last time. We all saw copies of the letter and the dictat issued. That cannot happen again.

With regard to the extra investment, the Herrity report was published in September 2016. I spoke to management in the hospital before I came here. Not one extra hour has been put in place. The hospital is only advertising for staff now. Those extra eight hours would be very important but they need to be in place as soon as possible. The only solution is a second catheterisation laboratory and I will be sticking to my guns on that.

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