Mr. Robert Morton:

There are probably two parts to that question. When we experience a surge in demand, we have the ability to meet the needs of patients who are acutely unwell. The consequence is that patients who are not particularly unwell, who are often referred to as lower acuity patients, find themselves waiting for much longer for an ambulance to turn up. The second area to think about relates to a major emergency, whether it is declared as a standby or an actual event is occurring. At that stage, the emergency services approach a state of being overwhelmed. The State's major emergency plans provide for a range of extraneous measures that we would not normally use. In our case, for example, we would call on voluntary organisations, the Defence Forces and private ambulance companies. We would set up casualty clearing stations and field hospitals, for example. In that sort of situation, there are active plans in place. Before Covid, those plans were regularly exercised. Covid has given us a different type of experience and we are far more practised now in measures that would be of benefit to those situations than we were previously. The plans are in place but I would be stretching if I said we would not be stretched. It would be a challenging situation for any emergency surface.