Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom fáilte mhór a chur roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach seo um thráthnóna. This is the first opportunity I have had since the Minister of State's elevation to high office and I would like to take this opportunity to wish her every success. I have no doubt that she will take her hard work ethic to her Department and that she will make a great success of it.

I come here today for the second time inside a week to talk about the lack of ambulance cover in counties Monaghan and Cavan. There seems to be an issue with the rostering of ambulance personnel in both counties, but in particular in County Monaghan. It is an issue that is causing great concern for the people there, as I am sure the Minister of State can appreciate and understand.

I understand that currently there are three or four vacancies, or thereabouts, in the Monaghan stations, which are located in Monaghan town and Castleblayney. Heretofore, those vacant shifts were covered by local personnel who kindly volunteered to make themselves available to do overtime in order that the people of Monaghan and Cavan would have a service. For some unknown reason, management at the National Ambulance Service has now decided that it will desist from that option, It is now employing ambulance personnel from as far away as Swords in County Dublin and Dundalk. That might be fine but I understand that if ambulance personnel from Swords or Dundalk, whichever the case may be, are called out to an incident in their own area, that will get first priority and Monaghan could be left with no cover whatsoever, which is quite scary.

Last week there were 17 12-hour shifts for which no cover was provided locally. This week, I understand, there are 19 shifts which have no cover provided locally. It is a very worrying situation. I understand that the three or four vacancies in question have been vacant for a number of years and that the National Ambulance Service is saying it is finding it difficult to recruit personnel nationally. I have talked to people from different counties and it does not seem to be an issue there.

What efforts has the National Ambulance Service made to reach out to the communities in Monaghan and Cavan to put forward the many rewards there would be for serving in the National Ambulance Service? I would hope the Minister of State might have some answers on this issue this afternoon. As she can imagine, the thought of not having ambulance cover there is very scary. The community - I speak on behalf of many of them this afternoon - wants answers and to have confidence that County Monaghan in particular, and indeed Cavan, will have cover during those periods. I look forward to the response from the Minister of State.