Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. At one level, the National Ambulance Service and pre-hospital emergency care have been transformed over the past 20 years in terms of the professionalisation of emergency medical technicians, EMTs, and of the level of response in general. There has been significant investment in the service. This year, €8 million has been allocated for new service developments, for 180 additional posts in the service and for increased capacity for aeromedical services. As of 30 August last, total staff numbers stood at 2,400. That is a 25% increase since 2020, meaning that 502 extra people have joined the service. Some 85% of those staff work in direct patient-facing roles.

The issue of dynamic deployment has arisen since the configuration was developed many years ago. On the surface, I can instinctively empathise with the Deputy's point because it does mean that ambulances are travelling long distances. We have to respond to this in an evidence-based way. I will talk to the Minister for Health and have further engagement with the National Ambulance Service and the professionals involved as to what is the optimal deployment of staff and ambulances and what is the best way to do it. In Dublin, for example, there has been a unique situation where Dublin Fire Brigade has provided a very effective and efficient ambulance service for many years. The HSE and the service were arguing the toss as to how to reform and reconfigure it. In that context, one view for a long time was "If it's not broke, don't fix it.".

We should be open to examining what is the optimal way to deploy the resources. Many professionals would say that what they are doing is the optimal way to do it. The Deputy is articulating a different perspective. I respect the points he is making, but I do think we probably need to look at this in a more evidence-based way. Perhaps the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health could examine it in more detail. The professionalisation of the service and the development two dedicated helicopter emergency medical services, for example, represents a significant expansion that is enhancing our response. As the Deputy knows, the key responder, namely an EMT or a first responder who is qualified and professional, can save lives. There have been a lot of very positive reforms and a great deal of significant investment in the service in the past number of years. There have been issues and, from time to time, Members have raised the matter to which Deputy Stanley refers.

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