The provision of an air ambulance service for emergency cases which cannot be safely conveyed by road ambulance continues to be provided by the Air Corps and the marine search and rescue helicopter service of the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources.
Contacts regarding the provision of a dedicated air ambulance service are on-going with all interested parties involved with a view to developing a consensus on the most appropriate role for air ambulance in the overall context of pre hospital care. I am continuing to provide additional funding for pre-hospital care with funding of over £10 million in 2000. This is the largest annual amount ever provided for the development of the ambulance service.