I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important issue. During the Christmas period, a young person in my constituency had an asthma attack. The rapid response vehicle, RRV, arrived and the advanced paramedic on the RRV saved his life, and of that there is no doubt. I say that because we have had a continuing issue in County Roscommon. I think this is my seventh time to raise it in the House. The rapid response vehicle promised to the people of Roscommon on the closure of the accident and emergency department back in 2011 and had been in place perfectly since then is being quietly downgraded. The RRV is now no longer available 24-7 as was promised. That is the first issue. It is being parked up on Mondays from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. I presume this is saving the National Ambulance Service, NAS, a few euro every week. However, it is also putting the lives of people of County Roscommon in grave danger. I do not say that lightly. There is a significant difference between what a paramedic can do in an emergency and what an advanced paramedic can do in an emergency. I will take an asthma attack as an example. The advanced paramedic can administer intravenous, IV, steroids, magnesium sulfate, paracetamol and antibiotics. A paramedic cannot administer any of those intravenously. In a sepsis case, which are sadly increasing, the advanced paramedic can give the IV antibiotics and the IV fluids, whereas a paramedic cannot. Another example, which again, sadly, is common, is cardiac arrest. In such cases, the advanced paramedic can administer the drug that is needed quickly, insert the advanced airway incubation and administer IV fluids. A paramedic cannot do any of that. We have two issues in Roscommon. One is that the NAS is trying to save money by parking up the rapid response vehicle every Monday night. The family of the young man in question have told me that if he had had an asthma attack on a Monday night, he would not be alive today. That is not acceptable for my community and county in any way, shape or form. The other issue we have, one I have raised with the Taoiseach and repeatedly with the director of the National Ambulance Service, is that a paramedic is being used on the rapid response vehicle far too often. Paramedics are filling the role of an advanced paramedic because the National Ambulance Service has failed to have a full roster of advanced paramedics. I do not believe the NAS has made enough effort to fill that line. For example, we have had cases of cardiac arrest and heart attack where a paramedic rather than an advanced paramedic is on the rapid response vehicle instead and cannot do what is needed to save the person's life. We recently had two cases involving a heart attack and cardiac arrest. Frankly, I am getting sick and tired of raising this issue. I am not someone who comes into the Chamber and shouts and roars, but this issue is of the utmost importance. People's lives are being put at risk. I am really concerned that this continues. We need the rapid response vehicle on a 24-7 basis. I know the NAS issued an action card for the rapid response vehicle in Ennis and in Nenagh hospitals to ensure the vehicle is protected. That is not in place in Roscommon. I do not know why that is the case given that Roscommon hospital, like Ennis and Nenagh, lost its accident and emergency department. I want that same protection put in place for County Roscommon. The other point to make is that we are training community paramedics who are finding themselves doing the role of advanced paramedics when they are not available. This is a waste of time. We need the rapid response vehicle on a 24-7 basis in County Roscommon to ensure we can keep people alive.

Sentiment score: -0.05

I want to be clear on the issue of the rapid response vehicle being parked up. This was done on Thursdays but I now understand it is done on Monday nights for 12 hours. The RRV is not being parked up because efforts to get an advanced paramedic have not been successful, whatever those efforts may be. That is not the reason because a paramedic is provided on the RRV every other day and night of the week. I believe it is being parked up as a cost-saving measure. If not, I do not know what the reason is. It is not because an advanced paramedic is not available because every other day of the week the service provides a paramedic quite happily. This should not be happening. In relation to the efforts being made to fill the four places on the advanced paramedic roster, which is the nub of the issue here, if an action card was issued - action cards are in place for Nenagh and Ennis hospitals - it would give a guarantee to anyone who is willing to go on the roster as an advanced paramedic. The reason people are not willing to carry out that role is that they afraid they are going to be pulled onto the air ambulance or moved elsewhere, as has happened. I do not know why County Roscommon does not have the action card to protect the rapid response vehicle. If we had an action card, it would give some comfort to an advanced paramedic to then decide to make the leap and take this role. I reinforce that point in relation to the action card. There is no reason the people of County Roscommon should not have the same protection as other places that are without an accident and emergency department. Of course, we are further from an accident and emergency department. That is why the rapid response vehicle is so important. I reiterate that lives are being put at risk in cases of cardiac arrest, heart attack, asthma attack and sepsis. This is happening in Roscommon, as I know from the coalface. I cannot and will not stand over a situation where people in my home county of Roscommon have their lives put at risk. I want this issue dealt with once and for all. I want the action card issued, the rapid response vehicle protected and the advanced paramedic and RRV provided on a 24-7 basis, as Fine Gael, the Government and the HSE promised the people of Roscommon in 2011.

Sentiment score: 0.06