Written answers

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Department of Health

Ambulance Service Provision

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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651. To ask the Minister for Health the reasons it is proposed that from 1 July 2013 that one of the two ambulances that are stationed in Portlaoise will be removed from Portlaoise on Monday nights and Tuesday nights; if he is satisfied that one ambulance based in County Laois is adequate for the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22641/13]

Photo of James ReillyJames 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 NAS 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 queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

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