Maria McCormack (Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I respect he is taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, but Laois and Offaly are not the one county or the one constituency and they are not the one region for the National Ambulance Service. We had regions ten years ago - I think there were 11 regions - and now we have one dispatch centre.

Having spoken to my local paramedics, I know that, looking at Laois and Offaly together, there are four bases, but I am talking about County Laois having only one base and the impact this has on the communities and paramedics. I note the big investment put into the National Ambulance Service but, according to paramedics on the ground, they are still working the same roster they have been for 20 years. The new staff members coming in are covering people who are out on long-term sick leave.

These paramedics are at breaking point, given the pressure they are under. I spoke to a crew member who, on Friday night, was dispatched from Portlaoise to Thurles and then to Clonmel. That is 110 km away from the base. We are in a very difficult situation in Laois. I ask the Minister of State to ask the Minister for Health to give urgent consideration to the ambulance service in County Laois.