€18m Released To Purchase New Ambulances

Capital funding of €18 million has been announced for the National Ambulance Service this year to purchase 50 new ambulances, as well as 35 refurbished ambulances.

The funding has been made available under the HSE's capital programme.

The investment means that it will being the service's fleet to 268 vehicles by the end of 2016, depending on the decommissioning requirements of older vehicles.

In addition, ten Intermediate Care Vehicles will be purchased, bringing the total number of these vehicles, which are used for non-emergency patient transport, to 60. The vehicles perform hospital transfers and can carry more than one patient. They now carry over 80% of such traffic, freeing up emergency ambulances to respond to emergency calls.

A new rapid response vehicle will also be purchased under the funding.

Welcoming the news, Minister for Health Leo Varadkar said: "I am delighted to make this investment in new emergency vehicles and look forward to them being in service. The introduction of over 150 vehicles in 2015 and 2016 is a real boost for the ambulance service.

"It allows us to replace older vehicles and expand services, especially in non-emergency transport. Moving patients from high to lower acuity facilities means that patient flow in our major hospitals will improve, which should help to ease pressure on our emergency departments.

"Replacing older vehicles will also help reduce costs and improve reliability. Our ambulances and crews cover enormous distances every year. It is vital that we continue to invest in and upgrade our fleet, so that our highly trained paramedics can give the best service they can, when our patients need it.

"I am delighted that additional resources will be provided to the ambulance service in 2016, to ensure ongoing improvements in service delivery."

(JP/LM)