Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans, taking into account that both public and private ambulance service are not currently regulated, to address the situation and to bring in regulations and standards to ensure there is an efficient safe ambulance service here with properly trained, qualified and vetted personnel operating the service to the specified best practice and standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26436/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The emergency ambulance service is an essential element of the health service and, since the establishment of the HSE, has been brought under a national management structure. The service continues to be developed to ensure that it can provide a safe, effective and efficient service to the population. HSE ambulance staff are subject to Garda vetting and are trained in line with the standards set by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council. HSE emergency ambulance vehicles purchased since 2002 (which make up the vast majority of the fleet) meet European Union CEN 1789 standards.

Where the HSE contracts with private ambulance operators for the provision of particular elements of service, it requires such providers to pass a commercial evaluation process and standards to be satisfied in respect of personnel education and training, Garda vetting and vehicles used.

It is important to emphasise that standards, education and training in pre-hospital emergency care have been the subject of considerable development by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council since its establishment as a statutory body in 2000. The council's principal functions involve the assessment and recognition of relevant education and training institutions; the setting of course content and conducting of examinations; assessment of professional qualifications obtained in other jurisdictions; the preparation of clinical practice guidelines and of standards for pre-hospital emergency care; recognition of pre-hospital emergency care service providers; the operation of a register of pre-hospital emergency care practitioners and of fitness-to-practise procedures.

In addition to its significant work in the areas of education and training, the council has developed detailed Clinical Practice Guidelines and patient care reporting systems. The work which the council has undertaken in respect of all areas of its remit has, I believe, led to a significant improvement in standards of pre-hospital care in Ireland.

The functions of the Health Information and Quality Authority include the setting of safety and quality standards in respect of services provided by or on behalf of the HSE; public ambulance services therefore come within the scope of the authority.