A Waterford TD fears that it will be spring of 2021 before construction of the second cath lab at University Hospital Waterford begins.
The project was granted planning permission in January with building work due to start in October.
However, Independent Deputy Matt Shanahan told the Dáil that there are now delays:
"I confirm to you now Minister that the construction timeline has extended by a further three months, and construction may not begin until spring of 2021."
Deputy Shanahan says it's "wholly unacceptable" adding that "this is while we continue to operate in the south east for 39 hours per week, with just one cath lab for the whole of the south-east's population, while understanding that the mobile diagnostic cath lab facility which was on site at University Hospital Waterford since 2018 was removed in recent weeks, as the Minister knows."
He says the travel restrictions are also impacting upon the refurbishment of the existing lab explaining that it too has been suspended for many weeks.
"Despite the new laboratory equipment being in storage in the hospital for a considerable period, engineers required to install and commission it will not travel from abroad because of our two-week isolation requirement for travellers."
Deputy Shanahan hit out at the senior officials responsible for delivering this project saying that requirements for the 14-day isolation period "could have been dispensed with by a means of a Covid test on-site at University Hospital Waterford and a managed accommodation agreement. Where there is a will, there is a way.
"Every day that the Waterford cardiac service operates without two laboratories means that diagnostic tests that could prevent a heart attack cannot be undertaken, with obvious implications," he concluded.
Health Minister Simon Harris accepts that we are not yet where we want to be but also acknowledges that there has been significant focus on trying to improve the outcome.
"We have had a mobile unit for a significant period. We gave sanction for a second cath lab since 24-7 coverage cannot be provided without a second cath lab.
He explained that "there is also a national review because, in any country, there is a limit to the number of services that can be provided 24-7.
"The question is whether there is a fair distribution and the people in the south east make a strong argument that there is not, but we need a national clinical review to determine how we best distribute that in a safe, appropriate, fair and equitable way across the country. The chair of that review is Professor Philip Nolan who has become well-known to all of us through his work with NPHET."
Minister Harris says he takes Deputy Shanahan's point that this is an issue regardless of whether he may or may not be in government saying "I will continue to give it my attention.
"I suggest that we got a lot done in the last Oireachtas by Oireachtas Members from the south east coming together for regular meetings. I think we should do that again.
He concluded by saying that he "will send a transcript of this exchange to the CEO of the HSE and ask that he provide an update, particularly about the important issue the Deputy raises about slippage and delay in construction timelines."
