David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste previously said several times in this House that, in principle, they support 24-7 cardiac services for the south east. In fact, the current Taoiseach stood behind a banner essentially saying that his party would deliver the 24-7 cardiac service. I know that is going to require additional resources and additional consultants but we need a policy decision. I am asking Deputy Carroll MacNeill a straight question. She is now the Minister for Health. Is she committed in principle to a full, 24-7 cardiac service in the south-east? That is the first question.

Second, it was stated in the programme for Government and also during the course of the election campaign that the Government is in favour of multi-annual funding for the health service. If we are in favour of multi-annual funding, then I hope the Minister will set out a very clear five-year strategy of ring-fenced funding for cardiovascular care and the many other national strategies that are needed to ensure that consistency and certainty of funding are there. Cardiac problems are the second biggest killer so this is very important. We have not had a strategy since 2019 and this report has been held up. The Minister said she will look at it. I accept that she is new in the role but there is an urgency here. I hope that when she comes back from the St. Patrick's Day visit, she will publish that report and move to the next stage of developing new strategies as quickly as possible.

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