Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I have a serious concern that the increased use of private ambulances for HSE patients is an outworking of the policy of dynamic deployment. That policy is failing miserably and is putting ambulance staff under pressure and patients at risk. Given the reduced availability of public ambulances, we are now in a position where we need to rely on the services of private ambulance operators. There are serious concerns in respect of the dynamic deployment policy. Ambulance drivers have outlined these clearly to me. They are concerned that patients are being put at risk. This is putting them in an awkward position and placing them under considerable stress.

Is the use of private ambulances an outworking of this policy? I believe it is. The Minister of State referenced a review of the system. When will this review of ambulance operations take place? As someone who is concerned about my constituency, I am calling for the review to take place as soon as possible. Will the Minister of State outline the procedure for tendering and procurement? What measures are in place to ensure value for money when private ambulances are used? That is the crucial point. We could have a situation whereby money is being wasted and whereby it could be put into another sector of the health service where it is badly needed.

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