I propose to take Questions Nos. 699 and 700 together.
Regarding ambulance callouts, as the Deputy may be aware, the National Ambulance Service (NAS) triages all emergency calls received using an Advanced Medical Priority Dispatch System (AMPDS). This ensures that immediately life-threatening injuries and illnesses are prioritised to receive the quickest response. The NAS uses dynamic deployment to place resources to areas where cover is required or to respond to incidents as they arise to ensure the nearest available resource responds to emergencies.
The Government is prioritising the improvement of NAS response times, including through funding of the NAS strategic plan, which includes planning for increased capacity across the country. As part of its budget allocation for 2022 totalling an unprecedented €200 million, the NAS will receive an additional €8.3 million funding for new service developments which will be invested in additional frontline staff and equipment.
In relation to a review of the operation of the NAS, I can confirm that a five-year NAS strategic plan is currently being finalised by the HSE. This plan, elements of which have been funded in Budget 2022, will facilitate a strategic organisational redesign and will continue to focus on key priorities including progress towards meeting capacity requirements and performance targets, as well as alternative care pathways for patients. It will be informed in part by an independently conducted National Demand and Capacity Analysis which has been commissioned by the NAS with a view to informing future capacity requirements and workforce planning up to 2027.
In regard to the specific questions raised by the Deputy concerning ambulance services in Tipperary and staff work patterns, as these are day-to-day operational matters for the NAS I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to him, as soon as possible.
