asked the Minister for Health if he will make the necessary finance available to the Southern Health Board to ensure an adequate ambulance service at Tralee General Hospital, County Kerry, to cover Tralee and the surrounding areas.
Written Answers. - Tralee Ambulance Service.
52.
The provision of ambulance services in Tralee and surrounding areas is a matter for the Southern Health Board in the first instance.
At present, the board provide two ambulances on duty at Tralee General Hospital during the day from Monday to Friday and one ambulance on duty at weekends and at night throughout the week with appropriate back-up services on call. The board have provided this level of service since May 1987 based on experience of the workload and the situation is closely monitored. I understand that the board are carrying out a review of the ambulance cover in the area at present. I should point out that a new replacement ambulance was provided by the board at Tralee two weeks ago and that delivery of another new replacement vehicle for County Kerry is expected this week.