James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter, which has been the subject of some speculation recently, and I welcome this opportunity to clarify the matter for the House.

Dublin Fire Brigade provides emergency ambulance services in Dublin city and county by arrangement between Dublin City Council and the HSE. The HSE National Ambulance Service also provides some emergency capacity in the greater Dublin area, as well as non-emergency patient transport.

The ongoing development of pre-hospital emergency care involves a range of initiatives, including the development of a single national control and dispatch system. The new national system will deploy all emergency ambulance resources in the State, including emergency ambulances, rapid response and intermediate care vehicles, first responders and aeromedical services, as well as ambulances in Dublin. This move to a single dispatch system will represent a significant change in clinical governance, as Dublin Fire Brigade currently dispatches its own ambulances. The Dublin city manager and the HSE's chief operating officer have, therefore, commissioned a joint review of Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance services in Dublin city and county. I hope Deputy Kelleher heard that bit.

See this speech in context