On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, I thank Deputy O'Hara for the opportunity to respond on the topic of a 24-hour NAS rapid response vehicle at Tuam ambulance base. I assure Deputies the Government remains absolutely committed to investing in increasing capacity in our National Ambulance Service. The NAS allocation for 2025 includes €8 million for new service developments to provide up to 180 additional staff. This investment is focused on the provision of additional front-line emergency ambulance capacity, further expansion of NAS alternative care pathways and growing specialist service capacity, including critical care retrieval and aeromedical services. Continuous increases in Government investment in the NAS has raised total NAS staffing at the end of October 2025 to 2,486. This represents an overall growth in staff of 558 or 29% since 2020, of which over 85% are engaged in direct patient care roles. In response to the specific matter raised by the Deputy, I am aware this matter has been raised by him previously several times. In fairness to the Deputy, I was looking today and he has put in several parliamentary questions on this through 2025, so I can see he is very passionate about it. I know from working with the ambulance paramedics that they excel at what they do and they do great work, so it is important we recognise them here. I am informed by the NAS that while there was no provision to consider this in 2025, the HSE will reconsider development of this service as part of the ongoing HSE national service planning process for 2026. This is what I have been told today. In the meantime, I am aware there are two existing 24-7 RRVs operating out of the Merlin Park base in Galway, as well as from Recess and County Roscommon on a dynamic deployment basis. The HSE has also advised that it intends to increase capacity its West and North-West region with an additional NAS helicopter emergency medical service, HEMS, to be established in 2026. This will increase HEMS coverage for patients in the west and north-west of the country and improve access for rural and isolated patients to care. This is about them ultimately. I am also informed an additional 23 paramedics are scheduled to be deployed to the HSE West and North-West region, including in County Galway, this month to provide additional front-line capacity. As Dail colleagues will be aware, patient demand for NAS services continues to rise year-on-year nationally as well as in the HSE West North-West region, including in Tuam and environs. In 2024 there were nearly 430,000 urgent and emergency calls received from the public. This represents an 8% increase nationally on the previous year and urgent and emergency calls received by the NAS have risen by a further 6% to date this year. Despite the significant increase in patient demand, overall ambulance response performance has been largely maintained, both on a national basis and for the NAS west and north-west region. Performance in the year to September in the NAS west and north-west region for life-threatening red calls, which constitute over 95% of all emergency calls received, met the 2025 national service plan target of 45%. I reiterate my sincere gratitude to all NAS staff and all our ambulance services across the country, including in County Galway, for their continued commitment and dedication to patient care.

Sentiment score: 0.24

I was looking back through the Deputy's parliamentary questions and, in fairness, he is working with ambulance paramedics on the great work they do. I know the Deputy will be committed to doing this. This will be looked at in 2026. I thank the Deputy for highlighting it. It is important we recognise the work ambulance paramedics do around the country. They do great work. The Government remains committed to investing in increasing capacity in our National Ambulance Service for patients in County Galway and across the country. In my opening statement, I focused on NAS front-line emergency response activity and developments in the west of the country. I will now reference the NAS's ongoing programme of strategic reform. Supported by sustained Government investment, the NAS is continuing to increase its capabilities and capacity to treat increasing numbers of patients at the most appropriate level of clinical need, including in their homes and communities. The Deputy will be aware it is important we do this. The NAS reform initiatives will better place the service to meet the demands of the rapidly growing and ageing population we have. Funding for new service developments this year will support further expansion and alternative care pathways designed to reduce the number of patients presenting at hospital emergency departments where there is no clinical requirement. In the first six months of 2025, nearly 30,000 patients were treated through the NAS alternative care pathway, with 40% of those patients not subsequently requiring to go into emergency departments. I acknowledge the professionalism and dedication of our workers and the vital service they provide for everybody.

Sentiment score: 0.31