Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Having listened to the Minister, I am fearful that the position may be graver than I had thought. Is the Minister prepared to acknowledge that one third of those in life threatening circumstances waited too long for an ambulance to arrive last year? Is the gravity of the situation such that he is prepared to wait until the end of the year for a review on foot of which he will decide what action to take? Will he give a commitment to expedite matters by having an independent review and assessment carried out and a report presented to the House within one month? Will he acknowledge that he must make the ambulance service safer, resource it properly and facilitate those on the coalface who are doing a job in difficult circumstances?

People will not listen when the Minister cites statistics to show he is addressing the problem. He has not done anything to make the job of ambulance service staff easier. Despite many Deputies on all sides and ambulance service staff and their representatives highlighting problems in the service, it took RTE to broadcast a programme on the issue last week before the Minister acknowledged the difficulties in the ambulance service. I have not seen the Government take any action to address the issue. Perhaps the Minister will acknowledge the severity of the problem by strengthening the position of those who have been given the authority to carry out the review. The report should be furnished sooner than the end of the year.

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