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Bray tragedy highlights flaw in ambulance services - Brady
Tuesday 18 August, 2009
Bray Sinn Féin Councillor John Brady has said the tragic deaths of two
men after a stabbing incident in Bray yesterday exposed a serious flaw
in the local ambulance services. Councillor Brady said frontline HSE
staff have expressed concern that only one ambulance was on duty to
cover the area from Newtownmountkennedy to Merrion Gates in Dublin.
Speaking today Councillor Brady said, "I want to express my condolences
to the families and friends of the two men who died in this tragic
incident at the weekend and also to the family and friends of those
injured. My thoughts and those of my Sinn Féin colleagues are with them
at this time."
"This episode has exposed a serious flaw in the local ambulance
services. There should normally be four ambulances on call to serve the
area from Newtownmountkennedy to Merrion Gates in Dublin. However, due
to the refusal of the HSE to pay overtime to the ambulance workers there
was only one ambulance on duty to cover this entire area on Saturday
night and Sunday morning. As a result ambulances had to be drafted in
from both Tallaght and Wicklow Town."
"HSE frontline staff have contacted me to express their serious concern
at this Russian Roulette type service. What will happen if ambulances
from our neighbouring districts are not available to cover in the case
of a future emergency? It does not bear thinking about."
"HSE cutbacks are putting lives at risk in this area as we are no longer
adequately covered by the ambulance services. This is an indictment on
the record of this Government. Full ambulance cover must be restored to
this area immediately."
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