Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to share my time with Senators Averil Power and Mary White. I thank the Minister for coming into this House. We are restricted in the time we can speak on this issue. I raised this matter last week and I know that the Minister is personally supportive of the Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance service, as am I. There are a number of stations in my area of Swords-Skerries-Balbriggan. We all know the role of the Dublin Fire Brigade, its training and the fact that every crew member is a paramedic and many of them are advanced paramedics. We all know the work these crew members do. I do not doubt the Minister's bona fides as a supporter of the fire brigade. My concern about these changes relate to whoever may be the next health Minister or environment Minister.

I have a couple of questions for the Minister. At the moment, the HSE pays Dublin Fire Brigade approximately €9.2 million towards the emergency ambulance service for Dublin city and most of the county, including north County Dublin where I reside. This is from an annual budget of approximately €138.5 million. It represents just under 6.7% of the overall HSE budget for ambulance calls. However, over 40% of the calls go through the Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance service. It therefore provides serious value for money. This is my view. I am not sure and I am not convinced that when it goes under the control of the HSE that we will get the same service or value for money. This is my worry.

I will conclude on these remarks. After the recess, I hope the Minister will have more time to discuss this issue because I am very restricted in time today. I am pleased that a mechanism is now being set up between the Dublin Fire Brigade representatives, the unions, and Dublin City Council. However, I worry when people say there will be no diminution. I agree the Minister is saying this will be the case and I am glad of that. However, this does not change anything which happens in the future. If anything, we should be expanding what is done in Dublin with the fire brigade across the country.