Ambulance Service Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2013

Thursday, 9 May 2013

Questions (223)

Gerry Adams

Question:

223. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on ambulance services in Drogheda, County Louth; if any decision has been taken to reduce the number of ambulances available to the area at night; when that decision will come into effect; the consultation that has been held in relation to that decision; the measures that have been put in place to deal with the pressures and the demands on the ambulance services in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22019/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health (Deputy James Reilly)

The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is not a static service. The Service deploys its resources in a dynamic manner and works on an area and national, rather than a local, basis. The dynamic deployment of ambulance resources ensures that the nearest appropriate resource is mobilised to the location of any incident. The NAS has been taking a number of steps to improve response times. These include development of a Performance Improvement Action Plan, an Intermediate Care Service, the control centre reconfiguration project and a trial emergency aeromedical service. Following a referral to the Labour Court under the Public Service Agreement, the NAS is currently progressing a number of efficiencies arising from LCR 20313, including the issue of removal of overtime built in to rosters. New rosters are now in place and are operating successfully. In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.