Statutory responsibility for the provision of ambulance services in the Dublin area rests with the Eastern Health Board. The Eastern Health Board ambulance service control centre for the Dublin area provides communications, emergency call taking and activation services from the central command and control centre at Townsend Street, Dublin. In line with similar initiatives in Ireland and internationally, this centre provides control and despatch services for the Dublin Fire Brigade who also provide an emergency ambulance service in the Dublin area. This is in keeping with the Government policy on the matter as set out in the report of the review group on the ambulance service published in 1993.
The integrated command and control centre helps ensure that the entire ambulance resource for the area operates as a single service. This includes the 11 ambulances operated by Dublin Fire Brigade, providing an emergency ambulance service on a contractual basis to the Eastern Health Board. The operation of a single service is intended to eliminate duplication of services and to improve response times resulting in a more effective and efficient service to those who require it.
In line with best practice in this area, the Eastern Health Board has contingency arrangements in place to ensure continued operation of the emergency ambulance service command and control centre at the ambulance headquarters in the Phoenix Park available in the event of damage or any other eventuality leading to loss of access to the central control at Townsend Street.
