Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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187. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the administration staffing shortages in the oncology department of Tallaght Hospital (details supplied); and the way he plans to resolve this staffing issue. [46856/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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188. To ask the Minister for Health the funding that has been allocated or will be provided for the recruitment of staff in the second catheterisation laboratory at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46873/21]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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189. To ask the Minister for Health if he will give consideration to providing additional cardiologists for the second catheterisation laboratory at University Hospital Waterford; the number of additional cardiologists being sought; and the funding allocated for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46874/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 188 and 189 together.

In 2016, the Herity Report concluded that the needs of the effective catchment population of University Hospital Waterford (UHW) could be accommodated from a single Cath lab and recommended that the operating hours of the existing Cath lab should be extended.

The HSE has advised that discussions are still on-going to commence extended working days (8am-8pm) in the Cath Lab in University Hospital Waterford in. It is intended to progress to 7 day extended hours working on an incremental basis during 2021.

The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of a second cath lab in University Hospital Waterford. The Contractor for the construction of the new Cath Lab at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) was formally appointed on 25th March 2021. The project commenced on 17th May 2021 with a 13 month works programme. The project could not commence earlier due to levels of Covid Infection presenting at UHW.

It is expected the main Contractor will hand over the project by the end of June 2022. Equipping and commissioning will follow for a period of 2 months and the Cath Lab is expected to be available for operational use from September 2022 onwards.

The Herity Report also recommended that the current 9 to 5 provision of emergency pPCI services at UHW should cease to allow the hospital to focus on the much larger volume of planned work. The then Minister for Health asked the Department to address the implications of this recommendation by arranging for a National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services.

The National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018. This Review aims to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme.

While substantial progress has been made on the Review, the COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted on its progress. Work has now recommenced on the Review to progress this over the coming months. As part of this, the Steering Group, under the Chairship of Prof Philip Nolan, has reconvened and a meeting was held on 20th September.

As the issues raised in the deputy’s question are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.