Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that there will be no downgrading of the ambulance service and cover in Caherciveen, Killarney and Kenmare, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14117/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is not a static service. The Service deploys its resources in a dynamic manner and works on an area and national, rather than a local, basis. The dynamic deployment of ambulance resources ensures that the nearest appropriate resource is mobilised to the location of any incident.

The NAS has been taking a number of steps to improve response times. These include development of a Performance Improvement Action Plan, an Intermediate Care Service, the control centre reconfiguration project and a trial emergency aeromedical service. Following a referral to the Labour Court under the Public Service Agreement, the HSE National ambulance Service is currently progressing a number of efficiencies arising from LCR 20313, including the issue of removal of overtime built in to rosters. New rosters are now in place and are operating successfully. In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.