Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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235. To ask the Minister for Health the number of days per week the mobile catheterisation laboratory in University Hospital Waterford is working. [47396/18]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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236. To ask the Minister for Health the number of days per week the mobile catheterisation laboratory in University Hospital Waterford is contracted to work. [47397/18]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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237. To ask the Minister for Health if the mobile catheterisation laboratory in University Hospital Waterford has the capacity to deal with patients who suffer an ST-elevation myocardial infarction. [47398/18]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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238. To ask the Minister for Health if funding for an intervention cardiologist will be provided for the mobile catheterisation laboratory in University Hospital Waterford. [47399/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 235 to 238, inclusive, together.

A mobile cath lab has been deployed at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) since October 2017 to conduct diagnostic cardiac procedures. The contractual arrangements in place at UHW are for the provision of a unit capable of carrying out diagnostic cardiac procedures only on a three day week basis. There are no plans to provide interventional services in the mobile cath lab.

Dr Herity concluded that the needs of the effective catchment population of University Hospital Waterford could be accommodated from a single cath lab and recommended that the operating hours of the existing cath lab, which provides interventional services, should be extended. Approval and funding has been provided for the additional staff required to facilitate this service expansion.

While the hospital group experienced difficulties recruiting the necessary staff to facilitate the expansion in hours of operation of the existing cath lab, I am pleased to note that five staff (Grade IV Admin, Porter, Snr Cardiac Physiologist, Senior Radiographer and Staff Nurse) have now been recruited on an 8am to 8pm working day basis. Documentation is also being finalised for the recruitment of a 1 WTE consultant cardiologist required to facilitate the provision of additional operating hours.