Every citizen in this State should have access to proper and sufficient ambulance cover. HIQA requires that an ambulance respond to a life-threatening incident within seven minutes and 59 seconds. In the area of south Mayo it is physically impossible for an ambulance to get from Castlebar, the nearest base, to Ballinrobe and surrounding areas. There has been an ongoing campaign for a permanent, fully staffed ambulance base in Ballinrobe to service the south Mayo area. Will the Taoiseach give a commitment that he will endeavour to get this organised and delivered without delay?

The budget for the National Ambulance Service is being increased year on year. I think the increase this year is in the region of €5 million. This has allowed for additional staff and ambulances and improved bases in Tuam and Mulranny, among other places around the country. The decision as to how best to allocate ambulances around the country is best made by the experts in this field, that is, the National Ambulance Service itself.