Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister said with regard to Tuam, the traffic situation on the Galway Road is very serious and presents a huge challenge when ambulances have to be called from outside the town. In reference to HIQA, the health correspondent of the Irish Independent, Ms Eilish O'Regan, wrote recently about HIQA conducting a six-month review of the ambulance service. I would hope that the review could be done very quickly because the situation is urgent. I was hoping a start would be made on the new road from Gort to Tuam but there seems to be some delay in that. The contracts were to be signed last week. We have very good staff who I know get good training and I have no issue with the equipment or the ambulances themselves. That said, there is a worrying rise in the number of incidents of serious delays in terms of response times. This has been highlighted by the National Ambulance Service Representative Association. I hope the situation can be improved. I believe a national control centre is to be put in place and steps are being taken in that regard. Above all, however, where a building is available, it should be staffed, training should be provided and the ambulances should be put in place. I hope that can be done quickly in the case of Tuam.

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