Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 4

Written Answers. - Ambulance Services.

Liz McManus

Question:

257 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding provided in each of the years from 1996 to date in 1999 to both the Eastern Health Board and the Dublin Fire Brigade to run their ambulance services; the number of ambulances in each case; the extent of training provided in each case; the proposals, if any, in relation to changes in the organisation of ambulance services in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4116/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

A programme of investment in the ambulance service has been under way since the publication of the report of the review group on the ambul ance service in 1993 with in excess of £18 million having been invested in the ambulance service nationally since 1993. In this context, the Eastern Health Board has been pursuing a range of improvements to the ambulance service, including improved training, upgrading of the ambulance fleet and the development of a new command and control centre in partnership with Dublin Fire Brigade. A national standard of training as laid out by the National Ambulance Advisory Council is being implemented in respect of all providers of pre-hospital care, including those employed by Dublin Fire Brigade.

The Eastern Health Board has a formal arrangement with Dublin Corporation for the provision of an ambulance service by Dublin Fire Brigade within the Dublin metropolitan area. The number of ambulance normally rostered for duty by the Eastern Health Board is 38 and by the Dublin Fire Brigade is 11. The funding provided to the Eastern Health Board by my Department for the development of the ambulance service from 1996 to 1999 is:

1996	1997	1998	1999
£400,000	£575,000	£895,000	£1.375 million

It will be noted that the figure for 1999 represents an increase of £800,000 or 139 per cent over the sum of £575,000 provided by the previous Government in 1997.

This funding has been provided to the health board for the implementation of the review group's recommendations with regard to ambulance services in the board's area, including that provided on its behalf by Dublin Fire Brigade. The Eastern Health Board has a statutory responsibility for the service, for drawing up a service plan to provide for its operation and for the allocation of available funding to particular projects.

I am firmly committed to furthering the process of development in the ambulance service to ensure the full implementation of the recommendations of the report of the review group to ensure the provision of a modern ambulance service.