Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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494. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if all members of the Garda armed support units are fully trained in emergency lifesaving first aid. [6671/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including any matters relating to the training of Garda members.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that pre-hospital care has been a skill-set in the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) since 2000, where the basics of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) were developed to allow for a greater level of competence through the delivery of Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) to a core group of members. I am advised that this situation has evolved over time, with members acquiring certification in the greater skill-set of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). I am further advised that all Garda members attached to the ERU and Armed Support Unit (ASU) nationally are qualified to Emergency First Responder (EFR) level.

Additionally, there are a number of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) attached to the ERU, and these members are registered with Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) which is an independent statutory organisation responsible for implementing, monitoring and further developing the standards of care provided by all statutory, private and voluntary ambulance services in Ireland.