Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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770. To ask the Minister for Health if additional resources can be provided to improve ambulance response times in County Monaghan in view of the circumstances outlined in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36875/17]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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789. To ask the Minister for Health if additional resources can be provided to improve ambulance response times in County Monaghan in view of the circumstances outlined in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36942/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 770 and 789 together.

I wish to express my sympathies to the family of the person concerned.

The National Ambulance Service (NAS) has been undertaking a significant and ongoing reform programme, to reconfigure the management and delivery of pre-hospital care services. This programme will ensure a clinically driven, nationally co-ordinated system, supported by improved technology. I am fully conscious of the need for a multi-annual programme of phased investment in ambulance manpower, vehicles and technology, in that regard €7.2m additional funding was provided in 2016 for NAS including €2m in development funding. This year, an additional sum of €3.6m has been made available which includes €1m to fund new developments.

With regard to the specific incidents raised by the Deputy, as these relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the HSE for direct reply.