Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 May 2009
9 Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the Health Service Executive has failed to fund the Dublin Fire Brigade service in Swords and that Dublin City Council has threatened to withdraw this service; if she is committed to the retention of this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20620/09]
View answer105 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the Health Service Executive is providing no funding towards the ambulance operating out of Swords; and her views on introducing a form of dispute resolution mechanism to resolve the on going dispute between Dublin City Council and the HSE regarding the funding of ambulance services. [20742/09]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 105 together.
Emergency ambulance services in Dublin have been provided by Dublin Fire Brigade for many years on behalf of the Health Service Executive. Ambulance services in the rest of the country are provided by the HSE.
The HSE reimburses Dublin City Council for the cost of providing ambulance services, based on a formula covering pay costs, superannuation and certain non-pay elements. The cost of providing an ambulance centre in Swords is not included in the formula, and the service was put in place by Dublin Fire Brigade without prior agreement as to funding with the HSE.
The HSE and Dublin City Council are in discussion regarding a number of practical issues, including the nature and terms on which Dublin Fire Brigade provides emergency ambulance services in Dublin. The most appropriate approach to the service in Swords can be considered in this context.
More generally, I believe it is important to ensure that all of our pre-hospital emergency services, including the service provided by the Dublin Fire Brigade, function as a high quality, integrated health service. The advice of the Health Information and Quality Authority on pre-hospital care issues will be a significant factor in determining how services should be organised so that clinical governance, patient safety and quality standards are met.
The HSE's discussion with Dublin City Council will, in addition to the immediate practical issues relating to Swords, cover how best emergency ambulance services for Dublin can be organised in the future.
