Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her reply and I have a few queries on foot of it. A capacity review into the national ambulance service was conducted in 2015 and its findings were released in 2016. It found that in order for the service to meet strict HIQA standards, additional staff needed to be hired. Can the Minister of State identify the Government's efforts in that regard and indicate the progress that has been made to date in providing new staff and ambulances for the service? I note the capacity review outlined the case for working with community first responders in rural areas in County Leitrim. They are generally the local GPs who are under considerable pressure, working in large rural areas on their own and they have very busy surgeries without adequate back-up and support. What efforts are in hand to improve matters?

I ask the Minister of State to come to Leitrim to meet the local doctors to hear at first hand their genuine fears for their patients, namely, the prospect that they face the worst outcome as a result of longer than acceptable response times.

As per the commitment given by the national ambulance service, will she agree to facilitate a meeting with the management of the north west ambulance service to enable its members to outline their efforts to increase resources in the area, place more than just one ambulance in the new base in Carrick-on-Shannon to serve the people of south Leitrim and west Cavan and reduce waiting times to under one hour?

I have been advised this evening that the Boyle ambulance crew has filed a health and safety complaint regarding the deployment of the second ambulance from Carrick-on-Shannon to their base, thus prompting serious concern that only one crew from Carrick-on-Shannon will be moved and that the crew currently based there will be moved to Sligo, leaving no ambulance service for Leitrim in the county. That would be regrettable and it is a matter of great concern to me as Deputy representing the county. While the Minister of State is responding to the requests I have made, it is vital that these facts be brought to the attention of the Minister.

See this speech in context