I propose to take Questions Nos. 78, 80, 82 and 83 together.
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 since 1993. This year I allocated an additional £970,000 to the Western Health Board for the development of its ambulance service which brings to approximately £2.89 million the total funding made available to the board for this purpose. In this context, the Western 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 ambulance bases.
I am 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. The Western Health Board has 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. It is a matter for the board to identify the priority areas it wishes to develop. Investment in the ambulance base at Castlebar can be considered in this context.
