Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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449. To ask the Minister for Health if funding will be provided to an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5294/20]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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796. To ask the Minister for Health the position in relation to State funding for a service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5293/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 449 and 796 together.

The Munster Helicopter Emergency Medical Service referred to by the Deputy is provided by Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR) under a Service Level Agreement with the HSE. Under the terms of this SLA, the ICRR committed to fund all maintenance, repairs, fuel and other expenses incurred in the provision of the transportation element of the service, while the National Ambulance Service (NAS) committed to provide the clinical staff and consumables. It was never envisaged that Exchequer funding would be required, or would be available, to subvent the ICRR service. The decision to proceed with the service arrangement was contingent on the contribution of the charity to the cost of the operation of the service.

The position is that at this stage it would not be possible to provide funding to the ICRR to continue to operate the service. Any decision to provide exchequer funding would be dependent on detailed consideration by the NAS/HSE and the Department of Health of the service need and potential costs. Such a decision would also be subject to public procurement rules.

I understand that ICRR has advised the NAS that they intend to continue to provide the service on a five-day basis for an interim period. This is welcomed, as is the NAS’s commitment to continue to engage with ICRR on an ongoing basis.