The new Health Minister has given a commitment to meet with the HSE and the four Waterford TDs to find out what the next step is to providing 24/7 cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford.
Stephen Donnelly, who was appointed to the job at the weekend, was responding to a Dail question from Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane.
Deputy Cullinane told the minister that his party leader and current Taoiseach Micheal Martin gave a committment to Waterford many years ago.
"The Minister's party leader and now Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, stood behind a banner and said that if Fianna Fáil was in government it would deliver on this issue"
He added that "Fianna Fáil is now in government, Deputy Stephen Donnelly is the Minister for Health and Deputy Micheál Martin is the Taoiseach."
Deputy Cullinane put a direct question to the Minister "Can the Minister give me and the people of Waterford and the south east a categorical commitment that 24-7 emergency cardiac care for the south east will be delivered by him, as the Minister for Health, given the commitment made by the Taoiseach, Deputy Martin, as his party leader, and by others on this issue?
"It is a very clear question that deserves an honest answer for the people who live in the south east. Will the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, be the Minister for Health who delivers 24-7 emergency cardiac care for the south east?"
Minister Donnelly said the next step is to find out what is required to proceed.
"Now we need to figure out exactly what else is required - how many cardiologists are required, how many technicians are required, what other support staff are needed, and what linkages are needed between the various hospitals.
"The goal is 24-7 care. The first and critical big step is the cath lab.
"If the Deputy does not mind - this is literally my second day in the job - I want to sit down with the HSE to understand the steps that are required.
"I would very much like to meet the Deputy and the other Waterford Deputies to discuss how we progress it. It is a really important issue for the region."
Mary Butler also raised the disparity between Waterford and other regions when it comes to cardiac care with the new Minister for Health
The Fianna Fail Deputy says she will be in the Minister's ear on a constant basis to get 24/7 over the line.
"In Waterford and the south east, cardiac care is time-sensitive. It is now 6.15 p.m. in the Convention Centre in Dublin and if any of us were to suffer a cardiac attack or cardiac arrest we would be able to go to any number of hospitals in the surrounding area to have treatment.
"However, we are not as fortunate in the south east. The cath lab in Waterford closed at 5 p.m. It is open for 39 hours a week, Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m."
She added that the people of Waterford and the south east are so frustrated.
"We feel there is an inequality of access to healthcare. There can be great outcomes for something as simple as a heart attack with stenting and the various procedures consultant cardiologists can do. I will be in the Minister's ear on a constant basis to get this over the line."
