David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday in this Chamber, the Taoiseach said the existing cath lab in Waterford is "now open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays." He continued:

The next step, which we are committed to making happen, is to ensure there is a service from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week and then to build up to a 24-hour service. Previously, we did not have the infrastructure or the staff. We now have the infrastructure.

This is a very emotive issue for the people of the south east, as the Taoiseach knows, and there has been a campaign for a long time. Was that a significant policy change on the part of the Government whereby the Taoiseach announced yesterday that it is now committed, as a matter of policy, to a full 24-hour emergency cardiac service available in the hospital? If so, what are the timelines and what resources will be made available to make that happen?

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