Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)

Given that the Air Corps is providing a helicopter service, as regards the M50, does the Minister not accept that it is impossible for anything other than dedicated service to be available? A report has shown that a helicopter medical service that is available on a North-South basis is essential. It would mean such a helicopter would be available together with a fully staffed crew, in effect a flying intensive care unit comprising doctor, medic etc., to go to the location of an accident. I agree that new helicopters are being brought on board. However, if those helicopters have a multitude of tasks to do, they will not be available when they are needed in such an emergency and lives will be lost. Lives have been lost and I can give the Minister the figures to prove that. Also, the equipment they carry reflects their multipurpose role, so they are not capable of doing the job that should be done. Lives have been lost, accordingly. Will the Minister comment on that because the helicopters he has are not dedicated and have many other jobs to do? As a result there are many incidences where people died on the side of the road because the proper stretchers were not available and so on. These are matters of public record. Does the Minister agree we need a dedicated helicopter emergency medical service?

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