I am afraid that I have to put the Taoiseach under pressure on health today as well. The Taoiseach will recall that in April 2013 I raised the grave concerns of people in my constituency to the effect that Waterford Regional Hospital, as it was then called, was in danger of being downgraded under the proposed hospitals network reconfiguration. Prior to raising that issue, the Taoiseach will remember, an estimated 15,000 people took to the streets in Waterford to raise their concerns. A number of concessions were made at the time to allay the fears of the people of Waterford, including that the hospital would be renamed Waterford university teaching hospital and academic teaching posts would be provided for consultants. We were told this would make it easier to recruit suitably-qualified medical staff. Round-the-clock interventional cardiology services were promised as well. When I raised the issue with the Taoiseach during Leaders' Questions in April 2013, he gave me his word. The Taoiseach said that Waterford would not be downgraded as a result of the reconfiguration.

I wish to draw the Taoiseach's attention to the comments of Michael Murphy, head of University College Cork. He is now threatening to issue a public apology to the people of Waterford for misleading them over false promises from the Government to fund academic appointments at University Hospital Waterford as part of the reconfiguration. It seems the Government commitment, made jointly with the HSE, to appoint three professors, two senior lecturers, a clinical tutor and administrative support has been broken. UCC has agreed to take on the permanent costs of the posts but has sought support from the Department for the funding for the first five years until an income stream is established. This has not been forthcoming. This is why Michael Murphy is now threatening to issue an apology to the people of Waterford.

The people of Waterford and the south east took the Taoiseach at his word when he told me that the hospital in Waterford would acquire the status of a specialised teaching hospital. Does the Taoiseach now acknowledge that in promising these teaching appointments and the 24-hour cardiology services at UHW, the Government has not kept its word? People in Waterford believe they have been sold a pup.

Deputy Halligan has raised an important issue. I know that he is raising it in the best interests of facilities for University Hospital Waterford. This matter was the subject of some controversy several years ago. My understanding is that the HSE and the hospital group are working in respect of the appointment of the personnel, including the specialist consultants Deputy Halligan has mentioned, and that the Department has informed University College Cork of that. My understanding is that the process for the appointment and employment of the specialists he has mentioned is under way. I can advise Deputy Halligan later of the exact position in so far as that is concerned.

At a press conference to rename University Hospital Waterford in May 2014, the then Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, and the Secretary General of the Department of Health again committed the Government to funding these academic posts.

Professor John Higgins said that recruiting and retaining clinicians of the highest quality would require the teaching, training, research and innovation that would be needed for the full integration of the mission of that hospital.

I do not know if the Taoiseach is aware that Waterford has had great difficulty attracting consultants in the intervening years. Such is the lack of, for example, dermatology consultants that the service has basically shut down. Only emergency cases are being seen and people must travel to Cork. The rapid access clinic for prostate cancer experiences major delays because no consultant urologist is in place. We regularly have the worst accident and emergency overcrowding in the country, yet we cannot fill the consultant post in emergency medicine. The list goes on.

The failure to sanction these academic posts is hampering the hospital in competing for the recruitment of the best clinical talent available. The research opportunities that would present through these academic posts are not forthcoming. Patients are not benefiting from the latest clinical expertise and knowledge they were promised. Dr. Murphy in UCC wrote to the Department of Health about what he perceives to be the broken promises made to the people of Waterford. I have been told that letter upon letter has gone unacknowledged and unanswered.

I do not know the answer to the Deputy's last comment. Waterford is not the only hospital which has had difficulty in recruiting consultants for which advertisements have been placed. I am not sure of the number of advertisements that have been placed for consultants in Waterford, but I am sure the hospital is not alone in this particular difficulty. As I said, my understanding is that once agreement was reached between Waterford and Cork on the processes, facilities and specialties that would be provided in each hospital, the matter would then be followed through on. I understand the appointment of a specialist consultant, something the Deputy mentioned, is under way between the hospital group and the HSE, and that Cork has been notified of that. That is my understanding and I will confirm it to the Deputy when I have the opportunity to do so after leaving here.