A MRI scanner being partly financed through hundreds of thousands of euro raised by the public is still lying idle more than two years later.

Despite repeated promises by the HSE to have the scanner placed in the newly refurbished St Luke’s General Hospital, the much-needed equipment, is still in storage with the suppliers.

The HSE, in a letter to local Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness, claims that they gave no indication that the finance needed to put the MRI in place at the multi-million euro facility, would be included in this year’s Capital Plan.

In the letter, the HSE states that “progression of the project is subject to the availability of capital funding.”

Fundraising by the group, Friends of St Luke’s, secured the €250,000 funding needed to purchase the MRI scanner in late 2016 yet the HSE has not provided the additional capital needed for the equipment. The average cost of a MRI scanner is €700,000.

Deputy McGuinness slammed promises for the past couple of years made by the HSE and the Health Minister that the MRI was a priority.

“This matter has been going on for years. The public and the fundraising committee worked so hard to get the money to buy this scanner. Now the scanner is being left in storage because financing to put it in place isn’t forthcoming.

“What kind of signal does this give to those in the Carlow and Kilkenny area and indeed the south-east?

Before too long, we’ll be told that the MRI is out-of-date and way behind current technology. This situation is absolutely ridiculous.

“The scanner could have been put in place when the hospital was being renovated and extended (costing €2 1million) which everyone thought would happen but bizarrely that didn’t occur.”

“This carry-on is a symptom of how ill the whole system is. The public is furious over it.”

Deputy McGuinness also recently tabled a parliamentary question asking Health Minister Simon Harris if “funding will be made available to construct a facility to house the MRI scanner at St Luke's General Hospital, Kilkenny, if (a) response will be expedited in view of the fact that the equipment has been purchased and if he will make a statement on the matter?”

Minister Harris said: “My Department and the Health Service Executive are currently engaged in a process to finalise the HSE Capital Plan for 2019.

“The HSE Capital Plan will propose the projects that can progress in 2019 and beyond having regard to the available capital funding, the number of large national capital projects currently underway, the cash-flow requirements attaching to each project and the relevant priority.

“Once the HSE has finalised its Capital Plan for 2019, it will then be submitted to me for consideration. As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.”

Chairman of the Friends of St Luke's fundraising team, Declan McCann, previously said he was frustrated by what was happening and added: “Minister Harris came down here (last) July and in public said this was going ahead.

“He said the figures would have to be rechecked, but then they would go to tender and expect to have shovel to ground by February (this year), with a four-to-six month build. But now there is a (further) delay.”