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

I welcome the HSE staff. I pay tribute to ambulance personnel throughout the country. They work above and beyond the call of duty, not only daily but also hourly trying to provide a very important service to the public. What we all want, including the staff, is the best patient outcomes for those who avail of the service.

It is clear from the various presentations this afternoon, from our experiences in constituencies and at local level that there is a resource issue. There is a lack of resources available to the service. As I stated previously, a capacity review study is absolutely necessary to ensure a proper service of sufficient quality will be available to the public. There is no doubt that the resources available to the ambulance service do not compare favourably with those available in other jurisdictions. We have received figures in this regard from both the NASRA and SIPTU representatives.

This committee should recommend immediately a capacity review study for the ambulance service. It is urgent. Currently, a review is being undertaken by the HSE nationwide, including in the south east, particularly south Tipperary. The review is effectively putting the cart before the horse. The review is in circumstances in which we simply do not know the required resources. The HSE’s senior management should note that there is absolute opposition to the reductions in the ambulance service being proposed at the base in Cashel, where an ambulance is to be lost and transferred to Carlow.

I compliment the Tipperary ambulance action group, who have come together at very short notice. It comprises members of the public who are quite clearly opposed to the loss of the service because they know the loss of the service to Cashel will mean response times will be even longer than at present. They believe we will certainly not see the response times recommended by HIQA. There will be a less than adequate ambulance service for south Tipperary. I include Clonmel because the review proposal involves the loss of an ambulance in the a.m. period for Clonmel. What is happening currently in south Tipperary is that the ambulances there are being used to cover calls in Kilkenny, New Ross, Carlow and Waterford, including Dungarvan. Obviously, the resources are not sufficient. The effect is that senior management are effectively proposing to downgrade the service significantly at Cashel and Clonmel.

I would have believed the Haddington Road agreement would have provided for the retention of existing roster patterns. Any change proposed, at either Cashel or Clonmel, is in breach of that agreement. What we all want is the best patient outcomes.

However, the proposals on the table for south Tipperary and particularly for the Cashel ambulance base, would not be in the best interests of patient outcomes. They will be strongly opposed by the people of south Tipperary.