Written answers

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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156. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether it is time to examine regionalising ambulance controls again and ceasing the centralised model to help ensure that ambulances are kept in their local areas and not put travelling through all parts of other counties other than the county that they are designated to be in (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17008/22]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On the deployment of ambulances, the National Ambulance Service (NAS) triages all emergency calls received using an Advanced Medical Priority Dispatch System (AMPDS). This ensures that immediately life-threatening injuries and illnesses are prioritised to receive the quickest response. The NAS uses dynamic deployment to place resources to areas where cover is required or to respond to incidents as they arise to ensure the nearest available resource responds to emergencies. The current deployment model has eliminated previous practices where the nearest ambulance was not always dispatched due to former legacy boundaries.

The Government is prioritising resourcing of the NAS and improved emergency response times, including through the funding of the NAS strategic plan, which includes planning for increased capacity across the country. As part of its budget allocation for 2022 totalling an unprecedented €200 million, the NAS will receive an additional €8.3 million funding for new service developments which will be invested in additional frontline staff and equipment.

In regard to the details enclosed with the Deputy's question concerning ambulance resourcing in Co Kerry on the night of 22 March, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in the matter, as soon as possible.

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