Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister well knows, a national review of specialist cardiac services has been going on on the never-never since 2019. I have in my hand a confidential briefing provided by Professor Philip Nolan and his group to others, dated 8 March 2022, which leaves a gaping wound in the north west of the country, where there is no recommendation for the provision of a cardiac catheterisation laboratory facility. To do that, in line with international best practice, when somebody has a serious incident, that person should have percutaneous coronary intervention within 90 minutes to survive. That is a physical impossibility in the north west. It used to be Fianna Fáil policy, when I was there, for the provision of a cardiac cath lab. I want to know if the Government's position will be that of Professor Philip Nolan and his review group, who seem to think people should either move closer or die, or if the Government will commit to funding immediately the provision of a cardiac catheterisation laboratory facility at Sligo University Hospital.

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