Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue.

When one looks at the leaked report that broke over St. Patrick's weekend regarding the HSE's plans to take control of Dublin's ambulance service from the fire brigade, it prompts two questions: the key question of why, and whether it is the right direction to take.

According to the report, the HSE is seeking to remove the emergency ambulance provision from the Dublin Fire Brigade because of two key points - a lack of HIQA oversight, and cost. The difficulty my party has with this is that the report was carried out by the HSE itself. That the HSE is the one drawing up the report would indicate that it may at least be partisan or biased on this issue. I would suggest that there be an independent assessment of whether this is the right action.

As Deputy Lyons pointed out, nobody complains to us - and I am quite sure nobody complains to the Minister - about the ambulance service being provided through the Dublin Fire Brigade. It is one of the most efficient in the country. If one looks at the basic cost analysis and breakdown, they seem to be cost-efficient.

I am concerned that a service that is working reasonably well is being taken over by an organisation whose ambulance service nationally is not working well. There have been the most catastrophic incidents throughout the country, with wheels falling off ambulances, children being locked in ambulances, delays, ambulances being dispatched to the wrong county, and an incident in which a person was taken from county to county after breaking their leg at a football match in Carlow, so that by the time they ended up in hospital they had been throughout the south east.

There are inherent difficulties. I note the Minister has acknowledged that and requested that HIQA carry out a full audit, but in the meantime the least the Dublin Fire Brigade deserves is an independent assessment of the service it provides. By and large, as Deputy Lyons highlighted, the vast majority of the people of Dublin are satisfied with the service provided by the fire brigade. I would ask that the Minister request independent audit and verification as opposed to relying on the HSE to carry out a cost analysis.

Regarding oversight, I am quite definite that this could be addressed with regard to HIQA through legislation or even a statutory instrument.

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