I raise the matter of increased cardiac waiting lists at University Hospital Waterford. I received a reply to a parliamentary question last week, which showed that the number on inpatient waiting lists has increased from 300 at the end of 2018 to 730 at the end of 2020. More worrying is that the outpatient waiting lists increased from 1,057 to 1,700 in the space of two years. The number of people waiting over 12 months trebled. When are we going to get a second catheterisation laboratory? Can the Tánaiste confirm that the second laboratory will provide interventional support and services as well as diagnostic supports? When are we going to see 24-7 emergency cardiac care for the people of the south east? That has been a long-running issue for the people of Waterford and across the region.

We are seeing increased waiting lists for procedures and for outpatient appointments across the country, not just in Waterford. That is not solely or exclusively down to reduced staff or funding because the reverse is the case. There has been a big increase in the number of staff in the health service and a massive increase in spending in recent years but because of the need to shut down large parts of the health service because of Covid-19, we are seeing increased waiting lists in all areas as a result of the shutdown that occurred in the first and third waves of the virus.

I do not have an update for the Deputy on the catheterisation laboratory. I have an update from a few weeks ago that might now be out of date so I would prefer not to share it. I will make sure the Deputy gets an update.