Before I call the next speaker, I welcome friends of Senator Nelson Murray from County Meath. They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann.

I raise the need for some amendments to be made to how the CLÁR programme is being operated. There is a call out requesting CLÁR funding from various different groups. Last Friday, I met a voluntary group, the Kilmore Area Community First Responders who are trained and work in a co-ordinated manner to be the first responders on site, particularly for people who are suffering from cardiac issues, strokes and heart attacks. They are volunteers and all of them live locally in the community. They explained to me that they are often the first people on site, even arriving ahead of paramedics and the National Ambulance Service. When someone rings 999 and says they are having a cardiac event, the group will be notified as well.

Unfortunately, the CLÁR scheme that currently exists for first responders prioritises vehicles and large-scale machinery. While they will make an application for some defibrillator machines, it does not cover their day-to-day costs. When they arrive on site and someone requires a defibrillator, they need to use pads that for obvious reasons cannot be reused. Every time there is a cardiac event, a new set of pads needs to be purchased and those pads can cost up to €300 per use. That is a considerable cost for a voluntary group. Everyone in the area wants to make sure more than sufficient pads are available and that they are able to be used when necessary.

I call for a debate here on CLÁR in general and specifically on the measure to ensure that first-responder groups, which are recognised under CLÁR funding, can get access to pads and funding towards their cost. Those first responders use their own cars and vehicles to get out there quickly. A first-responder vehicle would not benefit them if they have to go from their home to a base, change vehicle and then respond. There is a mechanism here that could be rolled out across the country. There are many good groups across the country that do similar work and a tweak in the programme would benefit groups like the Kilmore Area Community First Responders.