Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important matter for discussion during Topical Issue time.

Last week the Kilkenny Peoplerevealed that Kilkenny has just two emergency ambulances on duty each night for its population of 100,000 people, or one ambulance to every 50,000 people. The figures, obtained through a freedom of information request, also revealed the total number of emergency ambulances available to Kilkenny on day-shift duty from Monday to Friday is four for each day. However, this falls to just two on Saturdays and Sundays, a time when there would be more demands on the service.

This particular point of the strategy needs to be urgently re-examined as we have a vibrant nightlife in Kilkenny city at weekends. The bars, clubs, hotels and restaurants are always busy with visitors from outside the county who come for a weekend city break or otherwise. The streets of the city are a busy place at night. There is always an increased risk of incident or injury occurring which, in turn, will increase the demand for ambulances. The majority of people are out to enjoy themselves and will be well behaved. There is always a risk of incident, however, when people are out late and perhaps drink is taken. The same can be said for any city.

If there is a valid reason as to why the National Ambulance Service deems it appropriate to reduce ambulance availability at the weekend when demand for a service could increase dramatically in a short space of time, I would be glad to hear it. However, if it is down to an oversight in strategy or planning, then it requires urgent re-examination. Will the Minister of State take a close look at this?

One ambulance cannot cater for 50,000 people on a nightly basis over a long-term period and a daily basis on weekends. It is simply not sustainable. We could potentially be sleepwalking into a scenario where on a bad night someone in an emergency situation in south Kilkenny cannot be reached in a reasonable timeframe because the other two ambulances are otherwise engaged in the north of the county. That person must then rely on what the HSE likes to call "dynamic deployment" from Carlow, Waterford, New Ross and Clonmel, provided the ambulances in those areas are not otherwise engaged or under pressure.

Kilkenny is a focal point of Ireland's Ancient East and has large numbers of tourists flocking to the county for day trips, particularly at weekends. We are lucky to have several stunning attractions around the county as a result of our rich medieval heritage. The tourism industry is important in sustaining our bars, traditional pubs, restaurants and other small and medium-sized enterprises. It is a high-risk strategy, to say the least, that only two ambulances are available in Kilkenny during busy weekends. There is a glaring risk of serious damage to our good reputation if a regrettable incident or incidents were to occur.

In respect of the day shift on weekdays, we have four ambulances available on Monday to Friday. How does this figure compare to the national average for ambulances deployed per capitain the various regions? If the Minister of State has any figures in this respect, I would be glad to hear them.

We have four ambulances on a weekday but only two at the weekend. That is not good enough for a population of 100,000 people. We need more ambulances. Relying on ambulances in other areas is not positive as they may not be available. I know of one incident where an ambulance available in Kilkenny was called to Wexford to bring a patient to Wexford General Hospital. It turned out the patient was 500 m from the hospital but no ambulance was available there. That was not viable or practical. The Department should re-examine the whole area of ambulance service provision in the area again.

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