Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, the work of the Cabinet committee is broad. I wish to ask the Taoiseach about two areas. The Taoiseach will be aware of one because I raised it previously. In February a total of 2,000 people protested in Waterford over cardiac care facilitates in the south east. As the Taoiseach is aware, this is a major important burning issue for all the people of the south east. The campaign continues for a second catheterization laboratory and for 24-7 cardiac care to be based at University Hospital Waterford. Unfortunately, another incident occurred in recent weeks that underscored again the absolute and essential need for improvement in cardiac care and intervention facilities in the south east.

I am aware that everyone has focused on the national review that is ongoing. In the interim, can the Taoiseach fulfil the commitment that both he and the Government have made to provide at least a modular second cath lab until such time as the national review is complete?

On Saturday a group of geneticists wrote to The Irish Times. As the Taoiseach is aware, Ireland has the highest per capitarate of cystic fibrosis in the world due to the genetic make-up of our population. In their letter to The Irish Timesthe geneticists highlighted the fact that last Tuesday 16 EU ministers signed a declaration in Brussels to pursue a publicly-funded project to sequence 1 million European genomes. With the prevalence of cystic fibrosis in Ireland it struck me as odd that we were not one of those 16 nations.

Perhaps this is something the Taoiseach is not briefed on, but he might undertake to examine the matter to see if Ireland can be part of the analysis of the European genome that might find a cure or a better way of dealing with the high prevalence of cystic fibrosis in Ireland.

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