Vol. 526 No. 2
93 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the call for an all-island helicopter emergency medical service; and if he has spoken with Northern Ireland's Health Minister in this regard. [26167/00]
Proposals for the development of an air ambulance service fall to be considered in the wider context of emergency medical services. The development of emergency medical services encompass all areas of emergency care including the ambulance service, general practice and hospitals' accident and emergency departments. The potential benefits of a dedicated air ambulance service must, therefore, be examined within the framework of improvements to emergency medical services generally.
At the recent North-South bilateral ministerial meeting on food safety and health held on 3 November 2000, in Enniskillen, Minister Bairbre de Brún and I endorsed the establishment of working groups on ambulance services and emergency planning, and consideration of the costs-benefits of air ambulance services on a North-South basis will be considered in this context.
94 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the recent call by the Chairman of the Irish Accident and Emergency Association that the appointment of consultants to accident and emergency posts must be accelerated. [26169/00]
As the Deputy may be aware, I recently announced a £25 million investment package which is aimed at alleviating anticipated service pressures and maintaining services to patients, particularly in the acute hospital sector, over the winter. The investment package is being targeted at a number of key service areas which includes a proposal to recruit an additional 25 accident and emergency consultants and an additional 15 consultant anaesthetists.
I am extremely anxious that these posts be filled as a matter of urgency. Having regard to the necessary procedures and timeframe associated with the completion of the normal approval/recruitment process for consultant medical staff, I have asked Comhairle na nOspidéal, one of whose functions is to regulate appointments of consultant medical staff and to specify qualifications for such appointments, to approve immediately the filling of the posts on a temporary basis.
