Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not doubt the sincerity of the Minister of State. I have read the answer which stated that the HSE advised that all options had been explored. What were those options? When did they know? What did they do? We are getting absolutely no information. The Minister of State spoke about when she was first elected to the House. Back in 2018 a colleague of hers, the former Deputy, Eamon Scanlon, raised this issue here. He also said that not having a permanent cath lab in Sligo has serious implications for the recruitment of an additional cardiologist. Everybody in Sligo knows that is staring us in the face right now. It is not just the cath lab.

This answer tells us that strong clinical links are in place between Sligo and Galway. The Minister of State said it takes three hours to get there from some places. That is the median time. The longest time is between five hours and six hours. I did not quote the longest time. I do not blame the Minister of State personally. She read out what she was given. I have heard one excuse after another. It is time we got answers. We need them.

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