It is Groundhog Day as I bring up the issue of a second cardiac cath lab at University Hospital Waterford, where the HSE has spent 14 months attempting to provide a 12-bed day ward solution for this lab to operate. The latest parliamentary question response I received stated the hospital hoped to occupy the lab by quarter 2, not operate it. Operations cannot begin in this lab without dedicated day beds. Two solutions have existed for months. One is either a modular, six-bed day ward and six radial chairs being placed in the hospital to facilitate operations in this lab or, second, modular accommodation for the doctors' residence in the acute block, which could be remediated.

Will the Tánaiste dedicate the Government to giving a commitment that one or other of these solutions will be provided by the end of quarter 2 so that this laboratory can open five days a week? That is what we need, not three-day operations, not three beds as is being proposed. We need a 12-bed day configuration for that laboratory.

I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue. As he will be aware, the Government provided funding under the capital plan for the second cath laboratory, which is complete. It has been handed over to the hospital to be equipped and commissioned and for staff familiarisation and so on. The hospital is examining the options for creating the space for the new beds to accompany the second cath lab at the hospital. An interim solution in the form of beds on the day ward was identified but it is not feasible at present because of the fire in Wexford General Hospital, which resulted in the day ward in University Hospital Waterford being occupied with inpatients. The Minister is in discussions with the HSE with a view to getting this resolved.

A modular solution is all that is needed. It is being done everywhere else. That is all we need.

We have successfully done some modular building in some locations. It is perhaps not as extensive as people would like. It has been done in Clonmel, but that also took some time.