Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The recent referendum in Scotland highlighted many things, one of which was that the investment in individual citizens in Scotland is approximately five times more than the corresponding figure in either Wales or certain parts of England. We are not comparing like with like. We do not have the luxury of allocating funds to a greater degree to one area over another.

The NAS has sought funding for 2015 to facilitate an improvement in the ambulance service in the west and to meet capacity and HIQA review recommendations. Funding to the value of approximately €1.2 million is required to staff ambulance stations in Tuam and Mulranny on a 24 hour, seven day basis. In addition, approximately €1.7 million is required to eliminate on-call in the west. Conversion of the vacated Garda station to an ambulance station in Loughglinn, County Roscommon, has commenced and will be completed in a few weeks time. That should answer some of the Deputy's concerns.

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