I propose to take Questions Nos. 768 and 771 together.
A 12 month pilot Emergency Aeromedical Support (EAS) service established in order to assess the level and type, if any, of dedicated aeronautical support needed to assist the National Ambulance Service, primarily in the West of Ireland, commenced operations on the 4 June 2012. Following a recent request from my colleague the Minister for Health, I have now agreed to extend the Air Corps’ participation in the pilot for a period of up to three months in order to allow him to give consideration to a Report on the review of the pilot which is currently being finalised by an inter-service audit and evaluation group. There were 245 EAS missions completed by the Air Corps up to the 31 May 2013. In addition, I understand that since August 2012 the Irish Coast Guard has carried out in the region of 40 EAS missions, using their fleet of Search and Rescue helicopters.
The EAS service was established in order to support the HSE Clinical Care Programmes such as Acute Coronary Syndrome and Stroke. However, the service has also assisted in providing rapid patient transfer to an appropriate medical facility in a range of other time-critical cases.
