Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and I also thank Councillor Orla Leyden for bringing it to his attention.

The HSE wishes to ensure the availability of the highest quality emergency ambulance service across the HSE western region. Ambulance services for County Roscommon are provided primarily by ambulances from Boyle, Roscommon town and Ballinasloe. In addition, these stations are, when necessary, supported by the deployment of crews based in Carrick-on-Shannon, Longford, Athlone and Loughrea.

As it is a regional service, the western regional ambulance service will direct its resources to those areas where the need is greatest at any given time. When ambulance personnel are absent from duty for reasons such as sick leave, annual leave or for training purposes, service delivery across the region is drawn from the full range of ambulance resources. Where necessary, staff can be moved to different stations across the region to ensure maximum service availability. In addition, some stations with low volume call-outs are covered from another station.

The Minister wishes to assure both Senator Leyden and Councillor Orla Leyden that the HSE is committed to ensuring the availability of emergency ambulance services across the HSE west region and that this is being achieved by maximising the use of available resources.