Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 541: To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider levying a small charge on ambulance call outs which are deemed by hospital staff to have been unnecessary in order to discourage the use of ambulances for frivolous purposes without endangering patient safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32382/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The National Ambulance Service is an emergency service and operates free at the point of service. The strategic approach of the National Ambulance to this issue is to examine ways of triaging such calls at the point of contact, in order to direct patients to the most appropriate service. I will keep the question of charging in these circumstances under review.