Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his response. Can he assure the House the next severe emergency will not be dependent on whether it snows in County Meath or Kilkenny and there will be some type of independent arbiter? The situation which arose last Christmas in my constituency should not occur again. Families were marooned for three weeks and the emergency planning strategy was not put in place because the Minister concerned happened to be on a sun holiday in the Mediterranean and did not believe it was an issue.

Can the Minister assure the House that such a situation will not arise again? Can he also assure the House that emergency vehicles and 4x4 ambulances will be made available in communities that do not have a local hospital, such as my constituency? Isolated rural communities are hugely dependent on the ambulance service. Emergency planning did not live up to its responsibilities last winter.

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