Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, for being present. I express my intense irritation at having to come here to raise a Topical Issue on which I tabled a parliamentary question last week to which I received a one line answer. It is not the best use of my time, that of the Minister of State or the Department to have to draft a memo when such matters could be readily dealt with by furnishing me, an elected representative, with a half-decent answer a little longer than one sentence. I have come to the national Parliament to raise what is effectively a local issue. I would not have to engage in a 12 minute debate in the national Parliament on an issue affecting a housing estate beside a hospital with regard to a helicopter landing site if I had been furnished with a half-decent answer by the Minister, Deputy James Reilly, or the Department, but that is where we are.

Last January Beaumont Hospital made a statement on helicopter landings adjacent to it. It stated the football pitch at Our Lady of Mercy College, Beaumont would be used as a landing pad for the air ambulance service and that the initiative would be trialled over the following 12 months. It stated approximately six landings per year were envisaged, with no increase in the number of patients transferring to the hospital. It also stated the national aeromedical co-ordination centre, NACC, would manage the activation of the helipad and that the control centre dispatched Air Corps and Irish Coast Guard helicopters in support of the ambulance service for emergency calls.

A reply to a parliamentary question from a Government colleague of mine which was more complete than the one with which I was furnished stated the NACC dispatched Air Corps and Irish Coast Guard helicopters for emergencies, as well as for planned and routine aeromedical transfers, which is completely different from the response given by the area manager of Dublin City Council in July 2013 who, in answer to a question tabled by Councillor Andrew Montague, stated the national ambulance service had admitted to two test runs using the grounds earlier this year and that, having proved suitable, the grounds had been used on four occasions since. The expected six uses of the service had happened by halfway through the year. It was confirmed that transfer by helicopter was less desirable than transfer by road and that the helicopter service was used only in life and death situations, which is completely different from what was stated previously about planned and routine transfers. It was also stated the service representatives had accepted planning permission had not been granted to use the sports ground as a helicopter landing pad and would examine their options in this regard. Mr. Liam Duffy, the chief executive of Beaumont Hospital, stated in a communication with a resident that he had raised concerns about safety standards for the helipad. There are various points of views from various agencies, including Dublin City Council, the management of the hospital and those running the service.

I tabled a parliamentary question to the Minister for Health to try to obtain clarification on how long it would be used, whether it would be used forever and whether the hospital had a plan for a permanent helipad. Nobody wants a situation where helicopters cannot be used, but the residents are asking a reasonable question as to how long it is envisaged helicopters will land in their estate. I received a one liner stating it was a HSE problem. The Minister of State knows as well as I do that Deputies can wait months for an answer from the HSE. Part of my frustration is due not only to the fact that the residents are trying to find out reasonable information, but also to the fact that have I had to come to the national Parliament to raise an issue about a small housing estate beside a hospital because the Minister for Health or the Department could not be bothered to give me more than one line. Now the Minister of State will make a four minute speech to flesh out the problem.

If I had been given the text of the Minister of State's reply previously, I could have worked on it and I would not have to spend 12 minutes of my time, the Minister of State's time and the Parliament's time trying to flesh out the problem.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and for the opportunity to provide reassurance that the national ambulance service has no plans to install a permanent helipad at Beaumont Woods. Aeromedical assistance is provided to the HSE by both the Irish Air Corps and the Coast Guard who aim to ensure the highest level of safety in all aeromedical missions. Both the Air Corps and the Irish Coast Guard require predetermined landing zones. These are suitable landing areas that have been surveyed, and are deemed suitable for safe aeromedical operations.

The predetermined landing zone in Beaumont Hospital is inoperable due to ongoing construction works. In the time available, it was not been possible to identify other suitable landing sites within the hospital complex and, therefore, an alternative site outside, but close to the hospital was required. The national ambulance service aeromedical liaison officer scoped the area and identified the football pitch of Our Lady of Mercy school as a suitable temporary landing site. The board of management of the school granted permission for the use of the site and protocols were agreed and put in place to ensure the safe operation of the landing zone. I am informed that the site is used only in daylight hours and has been surveyed by both the Air Corps and the Coast Guard and found to be safe and appropriate. A secure and locked area is provided, which ensures no unauthorised entry can be gained during an aeromedical mission. The protocol also requires that Santry Garda station be informed of an aircraft arrival.

I have no doubt the House will accept it is vitally important, as the Deputy has acknowledged, that acutely ill patients receive all necessary medical care and are transferred as rapidly as possible to an appropriate facility. The availability of emergency helicopter transfers has been a major step forward for patients. However, I stress that the use of helicopters is not routine. Helicopter transfers are deployed only in exceptional circumstances. I am informed that the Beaumont Woods site has been utilised on 17 occasions in the past year.

While there may be local concern regarding the use of the site in Beaumont Woods, the provision of this particular predetermined landing zone has significantly decreased journey time of seriously ill or injured patients to appropriate care. The current alternative site is Dublin Airport, but that would add 30 minutes to the patient's onwards journey to hospital and, in time-critical patients, this additional time might be crucial to their prognosis.

As I have indicated, this is a temporary arrangement which seeks to ensure the fastest access to treatment for acutely ill patients. Ideally, the helicopter ambulance should land on the hospital complex but, unfortunately, this is not feasible during current construction works.

I acknowledge the Deputy's comments. I was not aware of the history of his inquiries. I agree with him that it is appropriate that he or any Deputy should have an answer given to him or her expeditiously and clearly. I cannot account for conflicts in the different answers given to the Deputy but if he requires further information on foot of the reply I have given, I will ensure that is established for him expeditiously.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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I appreciate the Minister of State's reply but I am sure he will agree that if I had been provided with it in response to a parliamentary question, I would not be in the House now wasting everybody's time. This is a reasonably detailed reply. It indicates that the helipad has been used on 17 occasions in the past year, although it was supposed to have been used only six times. However, that is information about which I was not aware previously and I also have an indication as to the reasons for that. If I had received this in reply to my parliamentary question, I would have been able to work on the issue, talk to residents and find out from HSE management when the helipad on this housing estate will no longer be in use and when the helipad in the hospital complex will be used again.

A one-line reply to parliamentary questions such as the one I tabled shows zero respect for Members and for the people whom we are trying to represent. We are not trying to annoy anybody. I asked a genuine question about an important service that the people of the country need, that the hospital deems important and about which residents have a concern. If I had been furnished with this detailed answer previously, I would not have had to raise it as a Topical Issue. I appreciate the Ceann Comhairle affording me the opportunity to do so and I appreciate the sentiments expressed by the Minister of State. However, there needs to be continuous oversight of the use of this helipad because it emerged out of nowhere and residents and people further afield have concerns about it.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I do not know that there is much more I can add because I am not aware of the history of the various inquiries the Deputy made. If he wishes to obtain additional information, the Minister for Health and I will do everything in our power to ensure he is furnished with it. Information and reassurance are vital in these cases. The provision of a helicopter service, though, is crucial, as the Deputy has acknowledged on a number of occasions. We want to ensure patient safety and to ensure they are transported quickly and safely to hospital. If there is anything with which we can help the Deputy, we will do everything in our power to do so.