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A DUBLIN TD has raised concerns about ambulance services in Dublin.
Dublin South West TD Seán Crowe has said that cuts to ambulance services in Dublin city, county and its hinterland “will inevitably put lives at risk and lead to longer response times from a vastly reduced service”.
He made the comments after he was told that on Tuesday the Tallaght area was to be short of an ambulance at Airton Road between the hours of 7pm and 7am.
Deputy Crowe said:
[That] night the Swords area was without a HSE ambulance between the hours of 7am and 7pm. [That] evening the traditional HSE ambulance cover from Airton Road in Tallaght [was] missing.This reduced service is the result of official strategic decisions on the part of the HSE and is happening because of funding cutbacks.
Traditional HSE ambulance service coverage in areas like Maynooth, Kildare, Balbriggan, Baltinglass and Arklow are also going to be reduced in the coming days.
Deputy Crowe said that this will place additional pressure on existing services and will make response times even longer.
Investigation
The TD wrote to Health Minister Dr James Reilly about the issue, and received a response from Reilly’s office saying the Minister would investigate his concerns.
This move comes in the wake of a reduction of the working week for ambulance staff from 40 hours to 39 hours.
Deputy Crowe said that “the HSE will claim that the fire brigade service or a first responder car with one individual in it can provide adequate cover” but he wants to know if the service is “sufficient or able to cover the growing population of Dublin and its hinterland”.
He told TheJournal.ie that he felt resources are being stretched and that this could lead to “seriously injured or ill people being left without assistance”.
He claimed:
This roster cut and the gamble involved will inevitably lead to the loss of someone’s life. Ambulance staff are now not being covered if off sick or on annual leave. This is also putting additional pressure on the limited service.
Deputy Crowe has asked the Health Minister to convene a meeting of the HSE to discuss this matter.
HSE
The HSE said that in line with the Croke Park Agreement, the Labour Court has issued a recommendation directing the National Ambulance Service and Trade Unions representing paramedical staff to address some overtime inefficiencies within its rostering arrangements.
These changes to rosters are being addressed under the Croke Park Agreement and will result in the same levels of service and manpower but at lower costs to the taxpayer.
It added that there is no dispute involving the ambulance station in Tallaght.
The HSE said that one of the key inefficiencies identified in the National Ambulance Service was rostering arrangements to reflect the reduction of weekly working hours from 40 to 39 arising from the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.
While discussions are still ongoing in some locations there will be no reduction in manpower, however, current overtime levels will be reduced.
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RIP,another family’s heartbreak this evening :(
RIP
I hope it’s not James it would be such a waste of a young life.
seriously,how many other bodies are floating around in that river at any one time?
It would be someone else’s waste if life then….
I hate to have say this why are people red thumbing that comment?
So sad news, I know body isn’t identified yet, thoughts with family at such a sad time, too young to die
What are the thumbs down about? I can’t see any contentious statements above!
Richard just ignore the red thumbs on this story We all try too it is such a sad story for the Family who have to deal with this R.I.P and thought for the family
Oh no… :-/
I hope it not James for hisfamly
Thumbs down because any loss of life is sad whatever the age.
I agree Laura but I thought the idea of the thumbs was to make a statement about the comment. Apologies if I have misunderstood.
you havent mis understood at all,the thumbs system is indeed to indicate ones aggreement/disaggreement with a comment..people will thumbs down anything said on this site,no matter what it is
well done to the boyne river rescue….a grim task indeed. my condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
at least who ever it is has been.found. not in the way any family Will ever hope for but it Will be at least some peace for them. what a heartbreaking time for all concerned. rip.
Dont worry I seen the red thumb record here 1097 so I wouldnt take it personal sometimes with the iPhone or smart (not so Smart) when scrolling down page sometimes ppl hit off it by error I know I for one have .
R I P . Condolences to the family of the deceased .
RIP to this poor soul, it’s someone’s son, brother etc. May his family gain the strength they will need to get them through the next week. how gives a flying f%@k about red thumbers. They are irrelevant. Trolls will be trolls.
at least who ever it is has been.found. not in the way any family Will ever hope for but it Will be at least some peace for them. what a heartbreaking time for all concerned. rip.
Very sad that someone’s son has be taken out of the river
As for the red thumbs why won’t the journal get rid of this red / green
Thumbs crap
People are saying ” I hope it’s not James” . It’s somebody, and someone’s son!! Whoever it is are facing devastation.. I hope it’s not James just pushes the reality to some other poor family
am I right that the body found was that poor boy James,tragic,his life taken so young,only making his way in the world god be good to him
Why was my comment deleted?
Because the journal is like that … Very picky in my opinion and just a tad conservative … It likes to think it’s an important broadsheet , but it’s not really that far removed from most Red-Tops!! Shrude and moronic!!
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