Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise the important matter of the HSE advanced paramedic motorbike unit in Cork. There are two such motorbikes operational in Cork. The key words are "operational" and "Cork". They have been in use for only two of the last 52 weeks. Why have they been unused and lying idle?

I am asking the Government and, in particular, the HSE to reinstate the advanced paramedic motorcycle unit in Cork as a matter of urgency. It saves lives. Our ambulance service has undergone profound change. Traditionally, it has been about transporting the patient to hospital. Today, it is much different. It is about a care pathway. Our advanced paramedics have been transformative and have saved lives since their introduction. The HSE paramedic motorbike unit has been extraordinary in providing a care pathway for people who need one.

Cork needs these motorbikes back on the road seven days a week. Response times will improve. They are operated and trained by highly professional paramedics. These paramedics can begin treatment and report back before an ambulance arrives. In cities like Cork, the motorbikes allow ease of navigation through narrow, winding streets. More important, as the HSE chief executive, Mr. Paul Reid, said in a tweet in July 2019, “These guys save people’s lives every day". He was meeting some of the team in Cork "Showcasing the new Motorbike unit to support advanced paramedic care in the city."

Paramedic motorbike units provide a rapid response. They allow early life-saving interventions, do scene management when there are multiple casualties, provide treatment and make referrals to doctors, whether by car or to a surgery or hospital. They also provide necessary transport to emergency departments and improve response times for the National Ambulance Service.

Fully qualified paramedics with life-saving skills have saved many lives prior to the arrival of ambulances. One motorcycle paramedic is a supervisor who can act as an officer in the event of a major incident or if there is an issue with staff. There is only one motorcycle paramedic which should make it easy for the National Ambulance Service to replace that person.

A similar situation arose in Dublin but the motorcycle unit there is now back on the road. It is unacceptable that a city like Cork is not afforded the same level of service. This is about saving lives. What is good for the people of Dublin is good for the people of Cork. If the issue is Covid and the redeployment of staff, there is no better illustration of saving lives than our advanced HSE motorbike paramedic unit. I ask the Minister of State to exhort the HSE to resume the services of this unit for the people of Cork as a matter of urgency.