Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1226. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will meet officials from the Department of Health to examine the possibility of ensuring that, irrespective of the person's location or the mission call out number, that in every instance whereby it is believed that transporting a person to hospital can be achieved faster via air than via road using an ambulance, then the closest helicopter to the person shall be deployed to respond to such emergency medical calls (details supplied); his views on the benefits which such a protocol may yield both in terms of improving patient outcomes and its potential to save lives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13659/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

​Following a competitive tender process on 22 July 2010 a contract agreement for search and rescue helicopters was signed between the Minister for Transport and CHC Ireland Ltd.  These Helicopters respond to emergencies at sea, inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains. The helicopters are operated by CHC Ireland ltd and the fully qualified crews are employees of CHC Ireland ltd. The helicopter service contract commenced on 1 July 2012 for a period of 10 years.

The helicopters are made available by the Irish Coast Guard to provide a helicopter transfer service to the Health Service Executive National Ambulance Service. This service is currently available under a Service Level Agreement between my Department and HSE National Ambulance Service. This is an emergency service which includes the essential rapid transfer of patients between hospitals, the carriage to hospital of patients classed as life or death and the recovery of patients in remote access areas

While the Coast Guard helicopter's primary role is Search & Rescue, in normal circumstances the system has sufficient capacity and flexibility to allow for the deployment of the helicopter fleet to meet both the SAR & where requested by the HSE National Ambulance Service, Air Ambulance needs.

Officials from my Department have indicated to the Department of Health their availability to take part in the Department of Health's review of the adequacy of air transport coverage for patients.