The ongoing problems with the National Ambulance Service are not being addressed. I raised the serious gaps in the ambulance service, particularly in County Laois, with the Taoiseach last year, and it is through no fault of the staff. The number of staff in the county has not increased in the past two decades, despite the explosion in its population. Five vehicles are based in the county, with just two available most of the time. That is five nights of the week. On Monday and Tuesday nights, just one vehicle is available. This vehicle is often a long distance away, so if a serious incident arises, no ambulance is available to attend patients. This is happening on a regular basis in the county. I can list off several cases recently where that has happened. Crews in Laois can be sent to Dublin, Wexford, Wicklow, Westmeath and Waterford. Often when they are almost at the patient's location, they are stood down and told to turn around and come back because another ambulance has just reached it. Recently, a crew from Portlaoise was two or three minutes from a scene in Wicklow but it was turned back. Dynamic deployment is not working. Crews are chasing around the country, travelling long distances without picking up patients. One crew came on to a shift recently in Portlaoise and was despatched on six occasions. On four of those occasions, the crew was stood down, including when it was almost where the patient was. It was told to turn around and come back to Portlaoise empty. On one of those occasions, it was away for almost four hours while emergencies were waiting in Laois. Calls are being stacked. Between the time a call comes in, it could be two hours before an ambulance is actually deployed due to shortages. In a recent case involving an elderly woman in Clara, the call came in at 6.27 p.m. but the ambulance did not get there until 9.51 p.m - almost three and a half hours later. Meanwhile, there was a person in Portlaoise with a serious injury but the three ambulances were gone and there was nobody to pick up that person. There is no rapid response vehicle in the county, despite the fact there are 56 in the State. Civil defence and the fire service are picking up the slack. Rathdowney fire service in one corner of the county dealt with four cardiac patients within a three-month period. Crews are going without regular breaks, meals, etc. The service is understaffed and under-resourced. Will the Government provide a rapid response vehicle in County Laois? Will it ensure that at least two ambulances and crews are on at all times? Can it engage with the National Ambulance Service? The Government and the Minister for Health need to do this and get a more logical deployment model.

Sentiment score: -0.06

When we compare what we have to what Scotland, which has similar population and geography, has, it has 5,000 staff while we have just over 2,500. Scotland has 1,500 vehicles while we have 620, so I think the Taoiseach accepts there is ground to be made up. The spring economic statement that came out yesterday shows there are substantial resources there. I am not asking the Taoiseach to throw that money around like confetti. I do not want him to do that but I want the Government to make the ambulance service a key priority in the forthcoming budget. It is essential. We have heard enough over the years about the golden hour. If an ambulance does not get to a person for two or three hours, time is lost. I am asking the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health to ensure County Laois is provided with a rapid response vehicle because we are at the crossroads of Ireland with the N7, N8, N80 and N78 all going through the centre of the county. I am asking the Taoiseach to ensure there is positive engagement with the National Ambulance Service to sort out rapid deployment and to ensure two or three ambulances are on at all times in County Laois.

Sentiment score: 0.17