Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, as he has been involved in this issue, in June 2012, a memorandum of understanding was agreed between my Department and the Department of Health, in regard to Air Corps support of a pilot emergency aeromedical support, EAS, service operating out of Custume Barracks, Athlone. The purpose of the pilot service was to assess the level and type, if any, of dedicated aeromedical support needed to assist the national ambulance service, primarily in the west for certain types of patients. The pilot focused on the requirements of the HSE clinical care programmes, such as acute coronary care and stroke.

An evaluation of the pilot service was undertaken last year by an inter-agency audit and evaluation group and a report submitted to the then Minister for Health, who accepted the report's recommendations that an EAS service should be established in the region and that consideration should be given on how best to provide such a service. A working group, chaired by the Department of Health and comprising representatives from my Department, the HSE and the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services, was then established to examine options for the provision of a permanent EAS service into the future. The group is nearing completion of its work and its report will be finalised shortly. Meanwhile, my Department has agreed to extend Air Corps participation in the pilot service, in order to allow time for the working group to complete its work. As the Deputy knows, it has been agreed in principle to maintain the service. What is being decided is how to do it and under what cost structure. The details will be available very shortly.

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