Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Thart ar bhliain ó shin, tháinig mé féin, an Teachta Ó Cuív agus an Teachta Connolly le chéile agus d'ardamar cheist faoi otharcharr Chonamara. Bhí rath leis an gceist sin. Ó shin, tá fhios againn go bhfuil otharcharr ann. An fhadhb atá ann faoi láthair ná nach bhfuil an base ann, rud atá fíorthábhachtach.

This time last year, na Teachtaí Ó Cuív and Connolly and I came together to highlight the urgent need for an ambulance service in the Conamara area, which had been lacking that service for some time. We were quite lucky and successful in our request and an allocation has been made in this regard. The issue we are trying to get to the bottom of now relates to the provision of an ambulance base in the area.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As Deputy Farrell said, we had nothing this time last year. Since then, we did very well in getting an extra ambulance, an additional emergency vehicle and 11 staff. A decision has been made on where the base will be located. What we are missing now is the building. The delivery of all the extra services we were promised was done in record time, between September and December last year. I remember the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, promising to take action on this matter when we raised it a year ago. Now we are looking to the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, to do something very simple. Will he make sure we get the ambulance base in Recess, Connemara gan tuilleadh moille?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Tá an dream seo ag streachailt ar an talamh le breis agus seacht mbliana. De bharr na hoibre atá á ndéanamh acu, i dteannta le Teachtaí Dála, tá dul chun cinn déanta. Progress has been made but this issue has been going on for more than seven years. The local group has kept up its campaign and kept the pressure on us. Approximately one year ago, as my colleagues said, we raised this matter in the House and progress was made on the provision of extra staff, an additional ambulance and a rapid reaction team.

However, the undertaking to provide an ambulance base seems to have no substance. One might say it has no base and that is where we need the Minister of State's help. The project is with the HSE's capital and estates unit, as I understand it. We certainly need pressure to be applied in this regard. I checked the file and it was seven years ago, in 2015, that action was first sought on this issue. For the group to stay together for that length of time indicates how serious this is for people in Maam, Recess, Clifden and Oughterard.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputies for raising the important issue of ambulance services in Connemara. It is an issue on which good progress has been made but it has been going on since 2015. I am aware that the Deputies are engaging with the proposals for an ambulance base in Connemara. I can confirm that the project for a new ambulance base, to be located in the village of Recess, is in the HSE's capital plan for 2022. I am advised by the HSE that preparation for works at the new facility is at an advanced stage. In the interim, national ambulance service crews in north Connemara are being deployed from a base in Clifden. This temporary measure will remain in place until works at the building in Recess are completed and the site becomes operational.

I am aware that response times remain a challenge. As previously stated in this House, a 2016 national review of ambulance capacity has highlighted that, in many instances, the most effective way to improve emergency response times in rural areas is through community first responder schemes. Community first responder groups are comprised of trained volunteers who are supported and dispatched by the national ambulance service. These groups respond to particular medical emergencies, such as cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, chest pain, choking and stroke, while an emergency response vehicle is en routeto the patient. A total of 177 community first responder groups are operational across the country, including 12 groups in County Galway.

I fully appreciate the need to make progress on the new facility in Recess, and I have received reassurances that this project is being progressed. Currently, the HSE estates unit is engaging with the local authority regarding road access for the proposed base, and it is anticipated that a planning application will be submitted in quarter 3 of 2022.

This year an unprecedented €200.7 million has been allocated to the NAS, and this includes €8.23 million for new developments. This funding is being invested in additional front-line capacity as well as increasing staffing within the hear and treat service in the national emergency operations centre, which advises lower-acuity patients of appropriate alternatives to hospital transfer. Overall, the funding for new service developments will allow for the recruitment of 128 additional whole-time equivalent staff.

I reiterate that the Government is committed to continuous improvement in the NAS, in response to the increased need we continue to see across the country. Investment in capacity increases is best illustrated by the 200 student paramedics currently enrolled in the NAS college on various stages of the BSc. (Hons) Paramedic Studies programme, and the 2022 NAS recruitment programme for paramedics, student paramedics and intermediate care operatives which launched earlier this year. I assure Deputies that the NAS is focused on improving patient care, clinical outcomes and response times in rural areas, including through the ambulance base project in Recess, and that the Government is invested in facilitating these strategic developments.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I do not understand how much of this answer relates to the specific questions we asked. From what the Minister of State has said, I take it that preparations for the new facilities are at an advanced stage. In the interim, deployment is occurring from the base in Clifden. As Deputy Connolly said, the reality is that this campaign group has been fighting for a long time. To be perfectly honest, and I say this as a member of the Opposition, this was a good news story for the Government that it had delivered in respect of an ambulance. I do not understand why it is not following through to the last bit to try to get this project through as fast as possible. This base is extremely important for the people in the local area. The Minister of State said there is a challenge in respect of waiting times. A challenge in this context can mean death for people in respect of waiting times. Therefore, I would like to see this project pushed through.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply, two small paragraphs of which related to the specific issue. I accept and always believed that planning permission would be required for this project. The Minister of State said in the answer that this would be applied for in the third quarter of this year. The third quarter is July, August and September. This is 13 July, and if the application for planning permission does not go in this month, I cannot see all that much progress being made in August because different people will be coming and going. Can we get a firm commitment that this timeframe will be adhered to, because there will be a minimum of at least three months after the application has been submitted before planning can be legally approved, and that is if there is no appeal? Therefore, we need this to keep moving forward. It will be well into next year before this building is completed. We accept that we must go step-by-step, but we need absolute confirmation that these deadlines will be adhered to.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Is dea-scéala é i ndáiríre. Tá sé deimhnithe anseo faoi dhó go bhfuil rudaí ag dul chun cinn, go mbeidh cead pleanála riachtanach agus go mbeidh sé á chur i bhfeidhm le linn an tréimhse trí mhí seo idir mhí Iúil agus mhí Mheán Fómhair. It is late at night and I welcome any good news at this point after a long week. In the two relevant paragraphs, the Minister of State has told us he is advised that the new facility is at an advanced stage. I have to welcome this. It is good news. He then told us that a planning application will be made in the quarter we are in now. As was pointed out by Deputy Ó Cuív, we are going into the holiday period. Looking back at the progress made since 2015, certainly the politicians have had something to do with it, but far more praise must go to the group on the ground. It is a small, dedicated group of people who have gone through winter, summer and all the other seasons. Over the two elections in my experience, they have pushed for this. We will not go into the figures because the time is up, but we need absolute certainty regarding this facility.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputies again for raising the issue. I assure the House the Government remains committed to ensuring the NAS delivers an enhanced service in Connemara through the establishment of the new base in Recess. I reiterate that this region is receiving additional support in the interim through the temporary crewing deployment arrangements I outlined. The strategic development of the NAS is a multiannual reform programme that will require continued investment in response to identified capacity deficits and changing population need.

I am aware the Deputies have been engaging with proposals for an ambulance base in Connemara. It is good to confirm that the project for the new ambulance base is in the HSE's capital plan for 2022. Preparation is in train for works at the new facility. This is at an advanced stage. In the interim, NAS crews are being deployed from Connemara. I fully appreciate the need to make progress on the new facility. The project is being progressed. The HSE estates unit is engaging with the local authority regarding road access for the proposed base. It is anticipated that a planning application will be submitted in the third quarter of 2022. Deputy Ó Cuív made a valid point. This is the third quarter of the year and we are coming into the summer holidays. I am very aware of the work of the HSE estates unit in the west and north west. I will get onto the Department tomorrow to find out whether it has made an application. If an application is not made by the HSE estates unit through the local authority, this project could be delayed. There is urgency and I hear what the Deputies are saying. I thank them for raising this important issue.