Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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17. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the expansion of the air ambulance service based at Custume Barracks in Athlone, County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42710/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Following a Government decision last July, the Emergency Aeromedical Support Service was established on a permanent basis. This very valuable service ensures that seriously ill or injured people in more remote areas, have timely access to appropriate high quality clinical care. The service is targeted mainly at western counties, where the road network may not allow for timely transport to hospital. Helicopter-based transport for those patients allows for greatly reduced transit times, particularly for time-critical transfers, such as STEMI heart attacks, stroke or major trauma. Indeed, approximately one third of the missions to date have been in response to STEMI heart attacks, allowing patients to be treated in a specialist setting within 90 minutes of diagnosis.

My Department is currently developing a Service Level Agreement with the Department of Defence, to set out the scope of support to be provided by the Air Corps. It is intended to keep the operation under review, to ensure a sustainable, long term service arrangement.