Ambulance Service

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 May 2023

Wednesday, 31 May 2023

Questions (157, 190)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

157. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health if he was made aware of reports of a recent visit by Ireland’s National Ambulance Service to Israel to study the operations of Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical service established by the Israeli government; his views on whether such a visit was appropriate in view of reports of repeated attacks by Israeli forces on Palestinian emergency relief rescuers and health personnel as well as numerous attacks by illegal Israeli settlers on Palestinian ambulance cars with the acquiescence and support of Israeli security forces; if he is concerned that such a visit might be seen to justify these Israeli actions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26586/23]

Catherine Connolly

Question:

190. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his views on the recently reported visit by Ireland’s National Ambulance Service to Israel to study the operations of Magen David Adom, Israel’s national Emergency Medical Service established by the Israeli Government; his views on whether this visit was appropriate in view of the many recent reports of a dramatic increase in attacks by illegal Israeli settlers in the Palestinian Territory on treatment centres and health workers, and the daily obstruction of the movement of ambulances and paramedics with the compliance of the Israeli military, and the unwillingness of the Israeli authorities to uphold their obligations as the occupying power, as reported by the UN General Assembly last October; if this visit was approved by him beforehand; if the Minister for Foreign Affairs was consulted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26587/23]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 190 together.

The HSE engages with the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) on an ongoing basis. Following a successful WADEM Conference hosted by Spain in 2022, NAS and representatives of Magen David Adom (MDA) (Israel’s equivalent to NAS), agreed to collaborate on issues of mutual interest, in particular, disaster emergency preparedness and potential applications for EU Research projects. Following this, the NAS was invited to visit MDA to learn from the joint work underway between MDA and the Jordanian Red Crescent. The study visit was arranged to follow the WADEM Conference for 2023, hosted in Ireland, which was attended by representatives of MDA.

The National Ambulance Service consulted with my Department and The Department of Foreign Affairs in advance of the visit. Ireland’s bilateral relations with Israel encompass cooperation and exchanges across a wide range of sectors and the visit of the National Ambulance Service to their counterparts was important in this context. All such official cooperation strictly respects the delineation between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised that the exchange of best practice between emergency responders in Ireland and Israel does not in any way run contrary to Ireland’s principled position on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including as regards the conduct of the Israeli security forces. Ireland is consistently clear in underlining the requirement of Israel, as an occupying power, to protect civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory.