asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied with the ambulance service attached to Tullamore County Hospital; the age of the longest serving ambulance and the date of the last new ambulance to be provided; and the steps, if any, he proposes to take so that proper garage facilities will be available at Tullamore for this service which is so vital for the people of the county.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tullamore (Offaly) Ambulance Service.
8.
The provision of ambulance services and garage facilities at Tullamore is a matter for the Midland Health Board. There are four ambulances and a minibus based at Tullamore County Hospital. I am informed by the health board that the longest serving ambulance at Tullamore was purchased in August 1970 and the most recent was purchased in July 1978. An order for a new ambulance to replace the oldest vehicle was placed some months ago but the new vehicle has not yet been delivered.
The health board utilise local commercial garages for servicing the vehicles which is quite a common practice among health boards. The health board state that the servicing arrangements in Tullamore are satisfactory. I do not consider that my intervention in the matter is called for.
Has the Minister any information at his disposal as to when the ambulance on order is likely to be delivered? Perhaps he might use his good offices to expendite its delivery.
Ambulances are built for the health boards and the Dublin Fire Brigade to a standard specification by Hanlons Limited, Longford. The ambulances are built on a Ford Transit chassis which is imported from Britain to the Ford factory in Cork. Because of an industrial dispute at the Ford plant in Britain from October to December 1978, there were delays in delivering 14 chassis through Hanlons, with consequent delays in the delivery of ambulances to health boards. Fords have stated that the earliest date by which they expect these chassis to be delivered to Hanlons is mid-March 1979. We will do what we can after that to get them as quickly as possible.