Ambulance coverage in Wicklow Wexford
Deputy Brennan raised long ambulance delays and very limited coverage for Arklow and Gorey. The Tánaiste said response times are generally good but accepted local concerns and said he would ask the National Ambulance Service to review capacity.
I raise the issue of the National Ambulance Service. I have heard from multiple constituents of prolonged waiting times, sometimes lasting hours, in cases of urgent need for medical attention. In my constituency, Arklow, County Wicklow, and Gorey, County Wexford, each have only one operating ambulance at any one time. This is to serve a population of more than 50,000 people. If these ambulances are out on calls, coverage is requested from as far away as Bray and Waterford. Last night in Gorey alone, the ambulance was called to two incidents. One was in Meath and one was in Maynooth.
This is simply putting people's lives at risk. Incredibly, measures were introduced on 10 February which meant three advanced paramedics in my constituency no longer have off-duty access to specialised vehicles which were an essential part of supporting our ambulance service. Do not get me wrong; our crews, paramedics and advanced paramedics are doing the best they can but the system has failed them. When was the last time a capacity report was undertaken? Is the deployment model fit for purpose? This issue is being replicated throughout Ireland.
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I have loads of statistics here and do you know what I am going to do? I will not read them out. The statistics tell me we are doing well in terms of response times and the likes but I also live in County Wicklow, know County Wexford well and know and hear the challenges people raise in relation to this.
I am told in relation to the question on capacity that the National Ambulance Service continuously reviews capacity requirements and then feeds that back in terms of investment plans. I will ask that the head of the National Ambulance Service and the Minister for Health engage with the Deputy directly on this.
Putting infrastructure in place is important, in terms of where the ambulances are deployed from. We will see a new ambulance base in Gorey. It is expected to progress to detailed design this year. We also have a new ambulance base in New Ross, which involved the purchase of a former fire station. That is investment in two crucial pieces of infrastructure for the ambulance service in County Wexford.