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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 May 1968

Vol. 235 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ambulance Oxygen Equipment.

24.

asked the Minister for Health if oxygen equipment is provided in all local authority ambulances.

Local authorities have been instructed by my Department to provide oxygen equipment in all ambulances likely to deal with accidents or other emergencies. The latest general survey carried out by my Department as to the manner in which local authority ambulances responded to accident calls during a fixed period indicated that, with one exception, the ambulances concerned carried oxygen. The equipment was subsequently provided in this case.

Will all ambulances now have oxygen equipment?

All ambulances likely to deal with accidents or other emergencies will now have oxygen equipment. The vast majority of them are already equipped with oxygen. I cannot say positively that any of them is not equipped with oxygen but I cannot say positively, either, that all of them are so equipped. In a circular issued in July, 1966, there was an instruction to equip the ambulances with oxygen.

The Minister is aware that some ambulances are in service which are not provided by the ambulance service and that these are not provided with oxygen equipment?

Such ambulances normally carry a number of cases at a time, when not emergency cases, from somewhere in the country. The oxygen equipment would be in the way in those cases and prevent the carrying of some of the patients who would otherwise be carried.

Has the Minister ever seen oxygen equipment? It could be put underneath the stretcher.

Does the Minister not know of emergency cases that come by ambulance to Dublin?

We had an emergency case here yesterday.

We shall have a worse one today.

I wish to give notice that, on the Adjournment this evening, I intend to raise the subject matter of Question No. 21——

That matter will be considered.

Where have the Government disappeared to from this House—climbing mountains?

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