Cowen calls for urgent action amid serious concerns over Midlands ambulance service

Fianna Fáil TD for Laois/Offaly Barry Cowen has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of the ambulance service in the Midlands region in recent times and has called for urgent improvements.

“Reports from crews and patients around the country over the past year or so suggest serious delays with ambulances arriving to treat patients. These delays were once an occasional occurrence, but now seem to be making the news on a daily basis," Deputy Cowen said in the Dail on Thursday.

“In one week alone, in a small town in my constituency, there were three cases highlighted to me where very serious delays occurred."

“Paramedics, who are working incredibly hard, are also being dispatched to calls way outside of their own regions, irrespective of the levels of cover locally.

"In turn, many calls in the Midlands area recently have been answered by crews from Roscommon, Ballinasloe, Athy, Maynooth and even Cavan. This is because Midlands crews have been dispatched to other regions," the Offaly TD continued.

“I know some staff were released from frontline duty to carry out Covid swabbing. Returning these to frontline duty should be considered as an option to improve staffing."

“I would implore the Minister to insist on improvements and to measure and review operations to ensure the service can effectively deal with the demands currently being placed on it,” he concluded.