Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for his initial comments. I was delighted to visit the Holy Family special school in Cootehill yesterday and to announce that, at long last, there will be funding for a new school. Planning and design is under way and I hope that building will start in early 2018. I wish the school well. As the Senator knows, the staff are fantastic and great people who have an amazing relationship with the young people with disabilities. I commend them on, and thank them for, their great work.

This Commencement matter is an important one. The two incidents the Senator mentioned were serious and I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the broader issue.

Ambulance response times in August for the north-east region were below target. However, I understand that the National Ambulance Service, NAS, is working to address the issue, including by working closely with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to improve response times for patients in Border counties. Ambulance response times are helpful for performance measurement, but it should be recognised that a sole reliance on response times does not provide a comprehensive picture of modern ambulance service performance. Response time performance is being globally reviewed in terms of whether it is the only appropriate measure of patient care.While rapid deployment and timely arrival are accepted, patient outcome indicators are being viewed as a more appropriate measure of patient care and experience. A key performance indicator, KPI, group chaired by Dr. Philip Crowley, national director of quality improvement, has developed KPIs in line with patient experience and outcomes and these have been submitted for implementation. This is in keeping with current international trends. I have been advised by the NAS that it is improving regional coverage and deployment across rural areas. It is moving away from ambulance provision from fixed bases to dynamic deployment, as urgently needed in the two cases mentioned by the Senator. This means that resources can be used across a region in order that if demand increases in one area, other resources can provide cover, as required.

With regard to locating addresses, the NAS computer-aided dispatch system identifies both the incident location and the nearest available resource. The system also utilises an automatic vehicle location system which enables the dispatcher from the National Emergency Operations Centre, NEOC, to direct the responding resources to the incident. The NAS is implementing a new vehicle system which will include a navigation tool. This will allow responding crews to view the same mapping system currently available to NEOC dispatchers to provide directions to incidents. This system will be rolled out during 2017 and 2018.

The capacity review published last year identifies particular difficulties in serving rural areas such as this region. The capacity review indicated that the only practical way to improve first response times in rural areas was through voluntary community first responders, CFR, schemes. The NAS continues to work with local CFR groups across the north-east region to enhance services. I am advised that in August 2017, 25 CFR groups were operating across the north-east region.

The capacity review also examined overall ambulance resource levels and distribution against demand and activity. Implementation of the recommendations made in the capacity review will require a multi-annual programme of phased investment in ambulance manpower, vehicles and technology. An additional funding of €7.2 million was provided in 2016 for the NAS, including €2 million in development funding. In 2017 an additional sum of €3.6 million was made available which included €1 million to fund new developments. I can confirm today that additional funding will be made available for the continued development of the NAS in 2018 and that this will be set out in the national service plan 2018.