Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On 18 May, I tabled this matter as a Topical Issue. It concerns the delay in ensuring that ambulance cover in west Roscommon and east Mayo is addressed. The HSE has simply not delivered on ensuring that this ambulance blackspot is sorted out. The OPW agreed a five-year lease with the national ambulance service to use the former Garda station in Loughglynn as a regional ambulance base.

Some 18 months ago, Roscommon County Council gave planning permission to develop an ambulance base there. However, it seems there has been very little progress on the project since then. It is most disappointing because the HSE timeline for the operational start of the base was last summer. In correspondence with the then Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, I highlighted the situation regarding the ambulance service in Roscommon. In that correspondence, I made clear the importance of ensuring that a sufficient level of ambulance cover is provided across the county.

The ambulance base in Loughglynn is a vital facility for communities in west Roscommon and east Mayo. It will significantly help to improve emergency response times in areas that heretofore have been ambulance blackspots. The need to address the ambulance base in Loughglynn, and the issues concerning the county's ambulance service, must be an absolute priority for all stakeholders.

So much work has been done in Roscommon Hospital. An investment programme of €20 million went into the county. We have an air ambulance in the area which has saved lives and has been in operation for the last two years.

I realise that the Minister can do some things, but not others. I have heard from the ambulance service, however, that this is a HR situation. These are situations that have been dealt with under the Haddington Road agreement. People may blame politicians for what happens, but I am asking the ambulance service to address the situation immediately because lives will be lost if this matter, which was agreed in the Haddington Road agreement, is not brought to a head. It should be done sooner rather than later.

I am sick and tired of politicians making a political football out of this and playing with people's lives. I am asking the people out there to do what they said they would do under the Haddington Road agreement. I am asking the ambulance service and the Minister to intervene to ensure that whoever signed up to the Haddington Road agreement should now do what was agreed therein, otherwise lives will be at stake.

This was never meant to be an ambulance base, as such. It was meant to be a facility where ambulance drivers from Roscommon, Boyle or wherever would go to address an ambulance blackspot. This has been agreed in backrooms during talks in which I had no say, and the Minister probably had no say in either. It was agreed under the Haddington Road agreement where all the stakeholders were represented. I am asking people out there to live up to their obligations. They should not use this as a political football or put the blame back on politicians. They have a responsibility for the lives of people in west Roscommon and east Mayo.

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