Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 635: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to plans to equip the fire service with defibrillators; if funding will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13946/08]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of equipment such as defibrillators for use by fire service personnel is a matter for the individual fire authorities and the Department has no direct role in this matter unless capital funding is sought for the purchase of such equipment.

I am aware that nearly all fire authorities have invested in training their fire fighters to Emergency First Responder level. Some authorities have, in addition, brought some of the first responders to cardiac first responder level, which means they are trained to use Automatic External Defibrillators. These authorities carry defibrillators on the fire appliances for the protection of their own staff and for use to assist the public at the scene of an incident at which the fire service is in attendance.