A commitment to the delivery of safe pre-hospital care was given in the programme for Government but this morning we see ambulance service data which clearly demonstrate that the Government is failing abysmally on this issue. On at least two occasions this year it took an ambulance more than 60 minutes to arrive at a life-threatening emergency. New figures also show that response target times are not being met in up to 50% of cases throughout the country. The Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, has said that ambulance services should arrive at a life-threatening emergency in less than 19 minutes, but this target is clearly not being met. I have raised this issue on numerous occasions over the past 18 months. I know of one specific case in County Monaghan where this happened. The ambulance took well over 60 minutes to arrive, with fatal consequences. We see clearly this morning that nothing has changed since I began raising this issue 18 months ago and that response times have not improved.

It is not correct to say that nothing has changed. To be fair to the National Ambulance Service, it has made very significant improvements to its response times. Unfortunately, there will always be errors and there will always be situations beyond the control of people on the ground and people at management level which cause those response times not to be met. I commend the National Ambulance Service, however, because it has brought about very significant developments, and the people on the front line in the National Ambulance Service who are working to ensure these response times are met. The people on the front line of the service throughout the country have supported reorganisation, which has been difficult and challenging because it is such an emotive issue, to ensure those response times are met. Unfortunately, there will always be exceptions to the norm.