Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. I agree with him on one point in that the paramedics are doing an excellent job, but they are being put in an unfair situation. He did not address the deficits in counties such as Laois and Offaly where ambulance shifts are not being covered, for example. This is concerning and this is putting lives at risk, while also putting massive pressure on paramedics who were being pulled across the country into the east, south east, and Wicklow. The Birr ambulance crew has been called to counties Tipperary and Limerick. This is an unacceptable situation. The Government needs to take action, as does the Minister for Health, to address the situation at hand before something serious happens and lives are lost. Every ambulance station should have its shifts covered. While I accept there are issues around recruitment, which I am glad the Minister mentioned, will the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform support the submission made by the National Ambulance Service in respect of recruitment, which calls for the recruitment of an extra 192 student paramedics and the opening of a fourth campus in the south to increase capacity in the system?

Will the Minister support all of that? If he is to be meaningful and true to his word about taking action, surely that would be what the Government should be doing.

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