Mr. Dennis Keeley:

I am very aligned with the comments that Mr. Morton has made in relation to the provision of services. A revised model which, where possible, keeps people in their home or takes them to alternative locations where they can be treated more efficiently and quickly, without the necessity of arriving at an overburdened accident and emergency department has to form part of any future service. Dublin Fire Brigade is working with colleagues in the NAS on pilot programmes in the city in that regard. We are very much committed to continuing that evolution of ambulance services right across the city and county. The future and answer for the task and finish group must happen very quickly. Most, if not all of what the Deputy has said, cannot be ignored. These are very serious issues. I recognise the significance of the statistics that the committee has been bombarded with this morning. It is a very serious situation.

The comments the Deputy makes suggest that there are two disparate organisations working independently of one another but I can assure her that is not the case. A lot of work goes on in terms of assurance around clinical governance, management-----