Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The National Ambulance Service is badly broken and the Government must intervene here to try to ameliorate this situation. It has been doing a wonderful job. The paramedics are not, as the Minister said, driving an ambulance or patient-carrying vehicle - we know that - but they are normally the first people to arrive to an accident or incident. In many cases now, when they are driving their cars, they have to pass the scene of the accident or emergency to pick up the ambulance and come back. That valuable time is lost. Often there are only minutes to spare - seconds, in some cases - to revive or stabilise a patient. This is a farcical situation.

We know there are huge issues with ambulances and burnout of the staff but this is something that came in a few years ago in a blaze of glory. It has been successful. How come it was not benefit-in-kind until now? In my own area and areas I know where they have them at home, they are not a huge benefit but they are there and they do not have to go to the hospital or ambulance base to pick them up, which could be 20 miles away. It makes no sense whatsoever. Surely, it can be dealt with in some other way so they have the fastest response time. That is what they are meant to be; a lead response before the other ambulances arrive.

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