Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 30 Sep 1999

Vol. 508 No. 2

Written Answers. - Ambulance Service.

Nora Owen

Question:

23 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself that the Dublin ambulance service is capable of fully and properly providing the emergency service required in Dublin; and his views on whether the ambulances in use could be putting the lives of Dubliners at risk due to their poor condition. [18297/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The Deputy will be aware that the provision and management of the ambulance service in the Dublin area is the statutory responsibility of the Eastern Health Board.

A programme of investment in the ambulance service has been under way since the publication of the report of the review group on the ambulance service in 1993 with in excess of £23 million having been invested in the ambulance service nationally since 1993. As a result of this investment a range of major improvements in the ambulance service have been taking place. Progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the report include: more than 75 per cent of ambulance personnel have successfully completed cardiac training and the provision of a nationwide cardiac ambulance service is now nearing completion; the specification and age profile of the ambulance fleet has improved greatly. Some 68 per cent of emergency ambulance vehicles are now less than five years old as compared to 48 per cent in 1994, and regional command and control centres are operational in four health board areas and a joint fire and ambulance control centre for the Dublin areas has recently been commissioned. Construction and equipping of regional command and control centres is at an advanced stage in the remaining health boards.

In this context the Eastern Health Board has been pursuing a range of improvements in the ambulance service, including improved training, upgrading of the ambulance service fleet and the development of a command and control centre in partnership with Dublin Fire Brigade. A national standard of training as drawn up by the National Ambulance Advisory Council is being implemented in respect of all providers of pre-hospital care, including those employed by the Dublin Fire Brigade which provides an element of the ambulance service in the Dublin area on behalf of the Eastern Health Board.

I am pleased to say that this year I secured funding of £1.375 million for the Eastern Health Board towards the continued provision of an efficient ambulance service for the region. It should be noted that this figure represents an increase of £800,000 or 139 per cent over the sum of £575,000 provided by the previous Government in 1997. Within the overall level of resources, it is a matter for the Eastern Health Board to prioritise the deployment of resources between the different aspects of the service such as training, equipment and fleet management.

I am always anxious to ensure that the ambulance service responds effectively to the need of the public and in this context the Deputy will be interested to know that a value for money report on the emergency service carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General published in November 1997 reveals that the ambulance service in the Eastern Health Board region responded to 97 per cent of all emergency calls within 20 minutes of receipt. This response time was acknowledged as being the fastest response time of the eight health board regions. I will continue to support the development of the ambulance service to ensure that its capacity to meet the needs of the public is further strengthened.