Bray tragedy highlights flaw in ambulance services

AMBULANCE: Serious concern over Russian Roulette type service

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady has said the tragic deaths of two men after a stabbing incident in Bray on Sunday last 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 Newtownmount-kennedy to Merrion Gates in Dublin.
Councillor Brady expressed condolences to the families and friends of the two men who died in the tragic incident and also to the family and friends of those injured. He stated:
“This tragic episode has exposed a serious flaw in the local ambulance services. There should normally be four ambulances on call to serve the area from Newtownmount-kennedy 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.”