Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the SIPTU representatives and thank Mr. Bell for his very informative presentation. I worked in the hospital sector for many years.

A family member of mine was an ambulance driver initially and then progressed to being a paramedic and an advanced paramedic. I am well aware of the work done by the ambulance service. While the public might be concerned at times about particular incidents, there is a very high level of respect for the ambulance service among public representatives and the public in general. Like the members of the delegation, our job in this committee is to help to ensure that we have a first-class quality ambulance service for the public. I particularly welcome the proposal in the presentation for a capacity review study because this is the key element. The HSE is currently carrying out a national review of ambulance services but this is a case of putting the cart before the horse. The first principle must be to establish by means of a capacity review the current level of resources, what resources should be made available and what additional resources are necessary. For instance, as I said to the previous delegation, a review of the ambulance service is being carried out in south Tipperary. The HSE has not undertaken a capacity review before making proposals for reductions in the service at the Cashel ambulance base and the transfer of a vehicle and a roster to Carlow. In my view, this is part and parcel of cuts to the service and a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, whereby ambulances from south Tipperary are being pulled out to cover Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford, Wexford and other areas. I welcome the proposal for a capacity review which should be the key element of the proposals from this committee.

I have a question about the SIPTU representatives' contact with the national management of the ambulance service. Are negotiations or consultations under way about the review that appears to be ongoing throughout the country and in south Tipperary and the south east in particular? Have the delegates any information about the situation in south Tipperary and the south east? There is absolute opposition to any changes in the rosters either at the Cashel base or the Clonmel base because we believe that it will be impossible to have minimum response times with the proposed reductions in the resources in south Tipperary.

My understanding was that the Haddington Road agreement gave a guarantee that existing roster patterns would be maintained. I am of the view that the current review and proposals by the HSE would be a breach of that agreement.