Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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2129. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ambulances rostered on the last Friday in each of the past six months by night and day shift respectively, in Cork city, in tabular form. [19468/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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2130. To ask the Minister for Health the number of staff rostered specifically to St. Mary’s campus for ambulance services on the last Friday of each of the past six months, by night and day shift respectively, in tabular form. [19469/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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2131. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ambulances rostered on a given day in March 2005, 2015 and 2025, by night and day shift respectively, in Cork city, in tabular form. [19470/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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2132. To ask the Minister for Health the expected commencement date for the new ambulance base in Cork given that the planning application has gone to further information. [19471/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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2133. To ask the Minister for Health if an ambulance is considered an authorised location for controlled drugs. [19472/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) processes controlled drug licences and registrations on behalf of the Department of Health, including controlled drug licences and registrations for pre-hospital emergency practitioners such as ambulance service providers.

The Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003, as amended, sets out the legislative basis for the use of medicinal products, including controlled drugs, by pre-hospital emergency care practitioners. The conditions of the controlled drug licence and registration issued to a company states, “‘Advanced Paramedic’ and ‘Paramedic’ have the meaning assigned to them in Regulation 4(1) of the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003 (as amended)”. Furthermore, Regulation 4(1) outlines that Advanced Paramedics and Paramedics have the same meaning as in the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (Establishment) Order 2000, as amended. Practitioners registered with the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) are authorised to administer certain medicinal products, including certain controlled drugs, to patients, and these medicinal products are stated in PHECC’s clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The PHECC CPGs state what level of practitioner is authorised to administer medicinal products and also what route of administration each practitioner is authorised for. A controlled drug licence is issued in respect of controlled drugs in Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017, as amended, while a controlled drug registration is issued in respect of controlled drugs in Schedules 3, 4 or 5.

The controlled drug licence and registration issued to pre-hospital emergency care practitioners, such as ambulance services providers, authorises the possession of controlled drugs at the named premises on the licence or registration. Controlled drugs in Schedules 2 and 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017, as amended, are subject to safe custody requirements as per the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1982. These controlled drugs must be stored in a controlled drugs safe or cabinet which has been certified by An Garda Síochána. The HPRA also performs inspections of these sites to ensure regulatory and legislative compliance.

The controlled drug licence and registration also authorises Advanced Paramedics and Paramedics to possess and supply the controlled drugs specified in the Schedule attached to the controlled drug licence or registration in the course of his or her employment as such persons, for the purpose of providing emergency healthcare services. The controlled drugs shall be used by the licensee for the sole purpose of administration by an Advanced Paramedic and/or Paramedic, in the course of his or her duties and in the immediate and necessary treatment of a sick or injured person, in accordance with paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of Regulation 20(8) of the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003, as amended.

Any controlled drugs which have been signed out of the possession of the named premises, shall at all times be in the charge of the licensee, the Advanced Paramedic or the Paramedic employed by the licensee.

All stocks of the controlled drugs shall be obtained from a person operating a registered retail pharmacy business in accordance with the Pharmacy Act 2007, as amended. The controlled drugs shall be obtained from the pharmacy on foot of a requisition as provided for in the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017, as amended.