SIX MONTHS after it was installed, a medical scanner costing almost €4 million is idle because the HSE cannot afford to employ an operator for it, the Dáil has heard.

Tom Sheahan (FG, Kerry South) said the PET (positron emission tomography) scanner at Cork University Hospital cannot be used and cancer, heart and urology patients have to travel to Dublin for scans.

Mr Sheahan said that in 2008, some 108 patients from the HSE South region were referred to Dublin.

“We do not know the figure for 2009, but the 108 PET scans in 2008 cost the HSE South €250,000 despite having €3.8 million worth of equipment lying idle because there was no operator,” he said.

Mr Sheahan added that “when cancer services were withdrawn at Kerry General Hospital, we were promised that we would have a centre of excellence for such services” in Cork.

“For anyone suffering from cancer, the idea of having to travel to Dublin for such treatment is unthinkable.”

Last May he was told that the scanner would be operating by September “but it is not yet up and running”.

Minister of State for Health John Moloney, responding for Minister for Health Mary Harney, said: “The HSE is working to bring this project into operation as soon as possible.”

Employment in the health sector was monitored by a committee of HSE officials and those from the Departments of Health and Finance.

“This committee also reviews implementation of the moratorium and any issues arising,” he said.

Mr Moloney referred to the public sector recruitment embargo in place from March last year until the end of 2010, but said that there were specific exemptions.

The HSE has “identified posts required to operate the scanner and has begun the application process for approval to fill non-exempt posts”.