Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

While none of us would think it is the cardiologists alone who are required for the staffing, they are absolutely pivotal and we know they are like hens' teeth. We need to get those posts approved and we also need to run the recruitment campaigns for those cardiologists because without that we cannot provide the service and we cannot roster for that expanded service, which is exactly what we need. The issue of dedicated recovery beds is also pivotal. We want to be able to provide that service. We know that space across the University Hospital Waterford campus is tight. They have done an absolutely fantastic job in managing that space. We have heard all of those good news stories about management in University Hospital Waterford and particularly around the emergency department, which is worth mentioning.

We have achieved a key stepping stone in delivering this second cath lab. Let us sweat the assets, let us get it staffed and get it working. People in Waterford and across the south east deserve that seven-day service at the very least and we have to always keep driving towards that ultimate goal of providing a 24-7 service for people of the southeast.

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