Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We need to be very careful about using terms such as enhanced or improved services because there is no sense of that in the community affected. People are now very concerned about the next incident and what might happen because they just do not believe an adequate service is in place. Recent tragic incidents have brought them to that very sad conclusion. I have spoken to people on the ground and their concern is whether there will be an ambulance on time, if God forbid, another life-or-death situation occurs in the east Cork region.

The other incidents I outlined suggest that the Department and Minister need to ask some fundamental and hard questions about the adequacy of the service. We are hearing reports of overworked and stressed ambulance crews and that the ambulance service is at the pin of its collar to meet the demands placed on it. We may talk about the changes that occurred and so on, but clearly in many instances those changes are not working. I have instanced the research undertaken that indicated only half were reaching the targets set nationally. Those are not my figures - they are objectively ascertained figures that the Minister, himself, acknowledged more than a year ago. However, very little has happened since then to enhance or improve the situation.

The reports from Deputies in their regions indicate that the changes are not working. People do not experience an enhanced service by any stretch of the imagination. The service is not adequately resourced. We do not have enough emergency medical technicians. We do not have enough ambulances in place particularly where there have been significant demographic and population changes in recent times. We also have the issue of dispersed rural communities. In the light of what has happened, the Government should have a fundamental review of the adequacy of the service in order to be able to give genuine reassurance. People are very anxious and concerned about the adequacy of our ambulance service and whether it is fit for purpose. Does it have the resources in terms of personnel and ambulances to meet the level of demand that exists? I do not believe the people have that confidence at the moment and for good reason.

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