A Sligo/Leitrim government TD has hit out over the lack of progress in providing a permanent cardiac catherisation laboratory at Sligo University Hospital.
Deputy Tony McLoughlin was speaking in the Dail yesterday evening at the end of a 12-minute question and anser session on the cardiac cath lab with Junior Minister at the Department of Health, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy.
Cardiac cath labs play a key role in the treatment and diagnosis of heart conditions, including heart attacks.
At present, only a mobile unit visits Sligo University Hospital once a week.
However, it was clear from Minister Corcoran Kennedy's answer to Deputy McLoughlin that, so far, no decision has been taken to proceed with providing a permanent cath lab in Sligo.
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A clearly dissatisfied Deputy McLoughlin responded by telling the Dail the situation was not acceptable.
He referred in his response to Minister Corcoran Kennedy to a letter he had received from the chief operating officer of the Saolta hospital group Ann Cosgrove about when the cath lab might go to tender.
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