The Governments recent decision to pull all ambulance services from Dublin Fire Brigade is of huge concern to the people of Dublin.
Dublin Fire Brigade has been successfully providing combined Fire and Ambulance services to the people of Dublin since 1898 and instead of removing Dublin Fire Brigade from ambulance provision, the Government should actually be looking to extend its role.
Dublin’s Fire Brigade is staffed with skilled paramedics and has 11 bases in Dublin while the National Ambulance Service only has 3. The HSE currently pays Dublin Fire Brigade €9.2m to provide emergency ambulances across Dublin. This is just 6.7% of the total ambulance budget of €138.5m, and yet it responds to 40% of all emergency ambulance calls nationally. By any standard that is good value for money. It’s a highly efficient and cost-effective use of our emergency services and it is extremely difficult to imagine how the HSE could provide the same service for the same or less cost.
I support the campaign to save Dublin’s combined Fire and Ambulance Service and welcome the Ministers recent agreedment to have a debate on the issue. You can show your support for the campaign to save Dublin’s combined Fire and Ambulance Service by signing the petition here.
