David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As I said yesterday, I welcome every single additional cent that is put into any area of healthcare, particularly cardiac services. We will wait to see exactly what funding is being allocated and from where before we pass full judgment on that.

As the Minister stated, the genesis of this review was a meeting with the then Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, attended by me, Deputy Butler, and others. It was to look at whether full 24-7 cardiac care would be provided to Waterford. A second cath lab is in place, and I welcome that. Additional hours of emergency services, extending them from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week, will eventually be provided whenever we get the staff to provide them. I also welcome that. There is still a question mark over whether there is a commitment to full 24-7 cardiac care. The people of the south east and Waterford deserve to know the answer to that question. Is it in the report? Has that been recommended? Is that the position of the Government? I could raise issues about what politicians have said in the past on this issue but I will not do so today. I am only interested in what is in this report for the State and, of course, specifically for Waterford and the south east. Will the Minister give an indication of whether it commits to full 24-7 PPCI services for Waterford and the south east?

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