The National Ambulance Service, NAS, is the State provider for pre-hospital emergency and intermediate care as part of the wider integrated health system. It is responsible for care from the point a 911 or emergency call is received, through treatment, transportation and handover of the patient to clinical teams at the receiving emergency department in hospital. As we speak this morning, serious challenges face the NAS and many paramedics are working out of substandard stations. Many stations have huge infrastructural issues, others are in a state of significant disrepair and there has been little visible investment in providing what should be a basic resource and home base for this crucial, life-saving service. Drogheda ambulance station is one of the stations in a deplorable substandard state and it has been for a long time. The HSE commissioned a report in 2022 on foot of an inspection of the station and a subsequent inspection took place in 2024, which highlighted the dangerous conditions paramedics are working in. No report was published following the 2024 inspection despite the many complaints and concerns raised with the HSE by the paramedics. There was an additional inspection in February this year and I am not aware of any action being taken arising from that either. The 2022 report clearly stated the station needs to be fully rewired and made a number of additional recommendations regarding subsidence issues, a green substance coming out of electrical outlets, mould present throughout the buildings and issues with vehicular access and the condition of the road in and out, which poses a risk not only to paramedics but also to the public due to impaired sight lines for access. To date, only patch jobs and essential cosmetic works have been carried out. Residents in nearby estates have noticed the off-run of wastewater from the cleaning of ambulances as there are no facilities to do this on site that allow for the safe disposal of wastewater. There are also restrictions on when the vehicles can be washed due to noise and there is no adequate housing for vehicles to protect them from freezing and ensure windows do not require demisting in cold weather conditions, which massively affects turnaround times, putting lives at risk. Numerous concerns have been raised about the security of the current site, noting that it is wide open to the public. On many occasions, intruders have entered and An Garda Síochána has had to be called. A bigger concern is the use of controlled substances in the station and by crews. The station is wide open to the public and they cannot be secured at the current site. There is no security operational on the site. Multiple violent incidents have been reported to the HSE without any real response or resolution. It has long been established that the current premises are unsafe and unsanitary and it is wholly unacceptable that the works have not been undertaken to date. Paramedics have advised that their preference is for a new station, which is fit for purpose but to date no suitable site has been identified or proposed insofar as they are aware. They feel this building is so dilapidated that it should be condemned and cannot understand why the HSE continues to indemnify it despite it being so unsafe and unfit. None of this will come as a surprise to the Minister. I have written to her on multiple occasions since the middle of February urging her to undertake an inspection of the station and the necessary works and to consult the NAS on the securing of a new station. To date, no response has been received. I also requested a debate on this matter under Topical Issue Matters 11 times in recent weeks, but was unsuccessful until this morning and despite the obvious and urgent need for investment in Drogheda and in this station, my call has fallen on deaf ears, which is symptomatic of the Government's attitude to front-line workers. Local paramedics have told me that they have no space to rest during their breaks and no room or even small space to gather their thoughts and compose themselves after attending and dealing with harrowing scenarios. Demand for the services of the NAS is growing and in the Dublin north-east region, which includes Louth, there has been a 19% increase in calls in a two-year period. Fourteen personnel are based in this station, which is an increase on the 12 who were there in 2022 when the initial report was written. Taking into account the additional vehicles, there is no capacity to house all these personnel.

Sentiment score: -0.04

Increased investment is very welcome and I acknowledge that aspect of the Minister of State's response. However, at the moment, none of it is being directed to where it is needed. This issue in the Drogheda ambulance station has been going on for more than four years, as the Minister of State referenced. He also referenced that HSE officials were themselves shocked at the end of 2021 at the state of disrepair in the station. Paramedics based in this station are majorly concerned about decisions being taken at senior level in the National Ambulance Service, which impact crews' ability to effectively and safely carry out their work. It is not just the unfit and unsafe conditions. It is soul destroying and heavily impacting staff morale. These are people we rely on to go out and save lives. It could be my life or the Minister of State's life the next time around. I asked a couple of questions I do not feel were addressed. I appreciate the Minister of State, Deputy Grealish, is not the Minister and is only representing her today. However, I have asked the Minister to undertake an inspection of this station. I would appreciate if that were brought back to her. I ask that she keep an eye and that these works are carried out as soon as possible. I do not understand why we are waiting for a report initiated four years ago to decide whether remedial works are needed on a roof this year when it has been falling down for four years. There are also evident signs of major subsidence with cracks in the walls. I again ask that the Minister engage with the National Ambulance Service on a potential new site for this station. This was mooted a few years ago. There were a couple of false dawns, but to date there has been no concrete confirmation that a new site will be provided. We are flushing money down the toilet in my view. I visited this depot. It is in a severe state of disrepair, and it is not fit for purpose to house the front-line services needed. Will the Minister of State take those three requests to the Minister? I spoke to her briefly last night. I understand she had a long day, but she said she would come back to me on it.

Sentiment score: 0.04