Vol. 471 No. 2
98 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Health which hospital has been contracted to carry out 500 additional cardiac surgery operations in 1996; the cost of the additional procedures; the number of public patients who will be left on the waiting list following these additional operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20636/96]
Limerick East): I have accepted the need to expand further the current public hospital capacity for cardiac surgery including the appointment of additional cardiac surgeons on a permanent basis over the next two-three years. Tenders to undertake this additional cardiac surgery have been received from four hospitals and these are being examined. However, because of the need to ensure developments are well planned and to allow sufficient time to put in place the type of permanent, expensive, high cost infrastructure required for cardiac surgery, it will take some time before this additional capacity comes on stream. As it will take some time to put the infrastructure in place, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to give a firm projection of what the waiting list will be at that stage.
In the interim, my Department is engaged in the purchase of open heart surgery from health care organisations at prices which are reasonable and affordable on a once-off basis.
