Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Members went over time because this is such an important issue. It is also an emotive issue but there are practical solutions to hand. We want to help and we want to contribute. I will give the witnesses an opportunity to respond but before doing so, I wish to acknowledge the fact that 2016 is the target for the opening of the radiotherapy centre in Altnagelvin Area Hospital, which will cater for a catchment area population of 500,000. That is very welcome.
I wish to pick up on a point made by Deputy Feighan and others about paramedic and ambulance cover. I do not know what the situation is in County Louth but I am aware there is good co-operation between Altnagelvin Area Hospital and Letterkenny General Hospital. I am not sure that the public is aware of that, however, so we have a job to do in terms of letting people know the true situation.
I am not seeking a comment on the tragic case of Ms Porter who died at the side of the road in Carndonagh, having waited for 50 minutes for an ambulance, because that is currently the subject of a HIQA inquiry. I welcome the fact that such an inquiry is taking place. A few miles down the road from that incident, however, there were ambulances at Altnagelvin. There were also ambulances outside Letterkenny General Hospital but Ms Porter's family could not get an ambulance for their mother, who was dying at the side of the road. On top of that, the helicopter service was en routefrom Malin Head to Sligo at that time. There are opportunities for joined-up thinking.
The Minister for Health is on record speaking about the potential for Enniskillen, Sligo, Altnagelvin and Letterkenny to co-operate in the context of air ambulance and paramedic services. I invite the witnesses to comment on that. What is the current standing of the proposal in the Department? Sometimes we as politicians talk about cross-Border co-operation as if it is a simple matter. At a political level, the Health Minister, Mr. Edmund Poots MLA, and the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, are working together and agreeing solutions but sometimes the implementation proves difficult. Perhaps the witness could elaborate on the difficulties they are encountering. Are there turf wars or cultural barriers? Is it the case that people have a difficulty with doing something new? Is it down to the human condition? Are we creatures of habit, used to doing things in a certain way? The witnesses are responsible for the Twenty-six Counties.

What are the difficulties and what are the barriers to the common-sense practical solutions we naive politicians think should happen in the morning? This may be something we need to find out. I thank the members for their contributions and leave the last analysis and feedback to our guests.