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Six more paramedics come forward with sexual harassment allegations

Serving and former frontline workers speak to The Journal Investigates following claims of an ‘unsafe culture’ for women within the National Ambulance Service.

SIX ADDITIONAL FEMALE paramedics have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment and bullying within the National Ambulance Service (NAS).

The women contacted The Journal Investigates following our recent investigation into allegations of a ‘toxic’ and ‘unsafe’ culture in the organisation.

They heavily criticised a NAS statement released just hours after the claims were published, which insisted the service is “committed to investigating all complaints thoroughly and fairly”.

The frontline workers described it as “meaningless” and “out of touch with reality”, and have demanded “action not words” from the life-saving organisation.

The women also backed National Ambulance Representative Association (NASRA) calls for an independent investigation into the organisation’s handling of complaints.

“It means nothing in our eyes – we need action not words,” one serving paramedic told The Journal Investigates.

“In my case, they gave me this bullshit about they were going to do a female wellness day on how to spot sexual harassment.

Girls don’t need to be told when they’re being sexually harassed.

“You need to tell men how to stop sexually harassing us and how to get men to stand up for women.”

A spokesperson for the NAS said: “The NAS want to be absolutely clear: harassment or sexual harassment, discrimination, or intimidation, including cyberbullying through social media, of any kind has no place in our Service.”

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‘Say nothing. He’ll ruin your life’

Earlier this month, The Journal Investigates revealed that there has been a sharp rise in complaints alleging inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment within the service.

Some of those complaints are also being investigated by gardaí.

Figures obtained via Freedom of Information (FOI) request show that in the last five years alone, 85 complaints surrounding bullying, inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment have been raised with NAS management.

A total of 20 complaints were made by NAS staff in 2024, the highest annual number recorded since 2020.

However, across those five years, just 10 complaints made it to disciplinary level.

We revealed the figures alongside claims from a number of current female paramedics who described being sexually harassed by male colleagues.

Hope*, a paramedic with 10 years experience, described being “dry humped” by two different male colleagues, incidents that were brushed off as jokes, as well as other claims of inappropriate behaviour.

Now, more women have come forward with similar accounts involving allegations of harassment and bullying.

Sonia*, who recently left the NAS more than five years’ service, recalled being “groped” by a male colleague within a week of beginning her internship.

“I was bawling in the toilet after it, and then I told a supervisor.

“To this day, her words are burned in my brain. ‘Say nothing, he’ll ruin your life.’ You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last.”

REJ2T9 Female paramedics have demanded “action not words” from the National Ambulance Service. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Attacks from public and colleagues

Sonia added that interns, often on fixed-term contracts, are particularly vulnerable.

“When you’re an intern, you’re on a fixed purpose contract, so they can just decide no, we’re not passing you and you’re out. So there is an absolute fear,” she said.

“This is the best job in the world, but if you put your head above the parapet or put a toe out of line, you’re gone.”

Many of the women who spoke to The Journal Investigates described a culture of silence, where reporting harassment was seen as a career-ending move.

Angela*, who worked for NAS from the late 1990s, described years of inappropriate behaviour from both colleagues and members of the public, and what she felt was a lack of support from management.

“Literally from the moment I started, I was attacked because of my gender or sexually harassed,” she said.

“When I was working, you also had to deal with sexual based attacks from members of the public as well, that they [management] didn’t want to know about or deal with.”

Angela recounted an incident where, after reporting an assault by a terminally-ill patient, a colleague told her: “Well, come on, you can’t blame a dying man wanting the last grab.”

She also told The Journal Investigates of an incident where she was “pinned to the wall” by a male colleague during a late night shift.

I just pushed him away, and I ran up the stairs.

“I locked myself in one of the rooms and thankfully, there were no other calls that night,” she said.

After speaking with her partner, she decided to report the incident.

“I had put up with sexual harassment from this particular man for so long, but that night changed everything.

“Then, when I reported him I was asked, why are you complaining now? Everyone knows what he’s like.

“I was doing it now for the first time in four years because I actually felt afraid for my physical safety.”

Angela no longer works within the service.

Fear of career repercussions

The women who spoke to us say that the NAS’s response so far has failed to address the root of the problem.

Emma*, a serving NAS paramedic, made an official complaint about a colleague’s behaviour towards her.

“It was initially a lot of girls that were going to report this particular man, but people pulled out,” she said.

“They were afraid they wouldn’t be rostered” or that career advancement would become more difficult.

“That’s what they’re afraid of, that their career progression will be harmed if they stand up for themselves.”

In the end, only Emma and another female colleague went through with making an official complaint about the man’s behaviour.

It was little subtle things like getting into your space, leaning across you when he’s walking past you, being almost right on top of you.

“My case was dropped because I didn’t have enough evidence. I hadn’t said it to anybody in text, and it was deemed a ‘he said, she said’ situation.

“I said [to management] this is giving the green flag to [allow people] believe they can do whatever they want, because it will just be deemed, ‘he said, she said’.”

However, the complaint from the second woman was upheld. The man at the centre of the allegations no longer works for the service.

The women feel a fundamental cultural shift needs to happen within NAS to address the issues.

Sonia added: “The public think we’re amazing. To be fair, a lot of us are really good. But they just don’t see what’s under the rug.”

The Journal Investigates put all the women’s allegations to the HSE, which oversees the NAS.

In a response, a spokesperson said protecting the safety of employees and service users is a “priority concern for the HSE”.

“The Dignity at Work Policy for the Public Health Service sets out how the HSE and other public health service organisations aim to create and maintain an environment where staff are treated with dignity and respect,” they said.

This provides for all staff and line managers to have access to “dedicated and specific training”, complainants to have access to support and “independent screening” of all complaints.

The statement added that in between 2023 and 2025 to date, the NAS received 41 complaints under its Dignity at Work Policy.

Of those, 17 were independently screened as “warranting formal investigation”. Three of those complaints related to sexual harassment, the HSE said.

“Where an independent investigation establishes wrongdoing, the HSE takes such behaviour very seriously, with sanctions up to and including dismissal,” the spokesperson added.

“Staff members are also encouraged to contact the gardaí in such instances.”

 *Names have been changed

The Journal Investigates

Reporter: Patricia Devlin • Editor: Maria Delaney • Social Media: Cliodhna Travers • Main Image Design: Lorcan O’Reilly

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