Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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14. To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered any improvement to the ambulance service in rural County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20547/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The National Ambulance Service is currently reviewing its resources in both urban and rural parts of the country.  A €5.4m budget increase in 2015 will help address service gaps, by reforming rostering and staffing additional stations. A recruitment campaign is currently underway for paramedic resources, which once recruited will enhance the service provision in County Limerick. The number of community first response teams is expanding, with 123 teams now operating across the country. The National Ambulance Service has ongoing communication and engagement with community first responder groups in conjunction with CFR Ireland to enhance the capacity of communities to respond to emergency cardiac calls.  

The Emergency Aeromedical Support Service, which has been very successful with over 980 missions completed, will continue to provide rapid access to appropriate treatment for very high acuity patients where this might be difficult to achieve by road. The Intermediate Care Service is now providing transport for lower acuity, non-urgent, inter-hospital patient transfers. This service frees up emergency vehicles for more urgent calls. I am confident that all of these measures will further improve our ambulance service in 2015.