Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will relay this matter to the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly. I will discuss it with him, the CEO of the HSE and the head of the National Ambulance Service. It would also be useful it the Joint Committee on Health received a presentation from the National Ambulance Service. I do not know if that has happened, but it would be very useful. It would be an opportunity for Deputies and Senators to present their perspectives and relay the experiences of constituents and people on the ground. There is a lot in what Deputy Lowry says, but we need to hear the overall perspective on what is the optimum model for the provision of emergency care and emergency medical practitioners. This is a key service in terms of those who provide it being first on the scene. A professional paramedic can be critical in terms of the outcomes for any person and must also make the right decisions on the spot.

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