Clare TD Brands Ambulance Service Expansion "Massive Improvement"

0:00Well, look, first of all, we had a very positive meeting today with personnel involved. In fairness, we are well aware that we have a serious concern that regards our ambulance services to all the county. I want to compliment the staff who are doing fabulous, fantastic work under severe pressure, which is not good enough for them. We are well aware that we have a very big county, serious concern in Western art, clear that they are not getting the proper cover at the moment. And I'm well aware that this is something I've been working on for the last 12 months since I got elected, was improved health services within the county. My belief today is where the positive outcome, where we were taught as going to be by the national ambulance service that was kind of confirmed. The 20-no frontline emergency care staff will be paying attention clear in 2026. There's also a number of no ambulance comments

1:03to the county as well. So that's our positive notion and we're also kind of as confirmed as today. Going into 2027, 20 years, there'll be massive improvements as well in our ambulance services, which in the county and also in the Midwest region. This was a meeting between their doctors, members from the Midwest region with your official from the ambulance service and that was the information was given to us today, Sean. So a number of additions to the ambulance fleet as well as the staffing of the service across county clear. And of course you mentioned the deficits that I are planning to see and are very acutely felt by the people of West and North clear, how far will this announcement today go to addressing that issue? My belief is we'll be a massive improvement. Again, as I said, there is times during the day and during the week that we don't have proper ambulance services

2:03which in the different stations throughout the county. And I'm well aware of incidents where an ambulance has been called. You might have in a half an hour an hour and a lot of times you might have to wear a couple of hours for us. That's not a good enough service to be given. And we have been, they've been confirmed to us today that that service is partisan at the moment. Now you're good enough for the people of our county in the Midwest region. This has happened more than in our county and clear. It's happening in the Midwest region, but that service is going to be enhanced to make sure that there will be a better health service for the people of our county gone forward. And my belief is with the extra staff with no ambulance coming in to the county that she will make a massive difference gone forward. Do we have clarity on the timeline for this Joe? Do we know when the new staff will take up their posts and when the ambulances will be in service in clear? Yes, it's going to happen in 2026. From June 9th,

3:05we have been told confirmed. Yes, it will be happening gone forward. So yes, it's the answer. It will be happening in 2026 to staff and no ambulances. And after that gone forward then there's going to be a continued improved ambulance service gone forward into 27 and 20 years. And also we have raided the boat. The condition is somewhere the ambulance has, especially our ambulance station, especially the warning Kilvosh. And that's been taken on board as well. We've all well aware, this ambulance station need to be upgraded, need to be brought to Papa Standard. And even we will talk today to the possibility that in the future we will be we could be getting a no ambulance station in Kilvosh, which is vital and important as well. And of course, this news today comes off the back of the health minister, Jennifer Karl McNeil's announcement earlier this month of a new hospital campus in Rahin County, Limerick, news that caused much disappointment in county Claire among many who had been campaigning for a hospital campus in Claire. And of course, there was also disappointment expressed

4:12as the health minister's indication that the option three of the Hickory reports, the new A and E for the Midwest could be on that Rahin campus, of course, as I say, people advocating for a long time for that to be in Ennis. And when Claire Femme put out this news today, that's there were expansions on the way for the national ambulance service in Claire. We had some people saying that it won't make the difference that's needed because we don't have an A and E in the county for people to be brought to. What would you say to that? Well, in fairness to the health minister, she did say that there was going to be improved health services pushing to the county. She did, she has commissioned to come in and visit in the county. We're going to wait to see what she'll say when she visits the county, but no, there is going to be improvement in our health services. That's vital and important. So there will also be, as I mentioned, improvement in the ambulance service, which is vital and important. But again, the people Claire deserves a proper health system.

5:16And my believe is, when we were downgraded in 2009, as they said in the national hospital, we were taught that time, we would be getting a cent of excellence. Now we're going into 2026 and these are not going to have happened only more downgrading of different services. As our main concern shines, this has to change. The Minister's Commission will change. And my believe is, okay, we are not to see a normal model three. I'm at the four hospital built in this, I've been in the county, wherever the case may be. I'm not sure whether that's going to happen or not in the future, but we're aware of the 44-acre site is posthus in where he and, but again, it's important that the people of Claire have a proper health service. Are you actively lobbying for that, A&E, to be in clear with your engagements with the health Minister? But I'm lobbying for is, I'm lobbying if we have proper health services for the people whether the locations in Claire are in limelight, but the people in Claire and the people of the

6:17Midwest region need proper health services. We have been proud of this and hadn't proper health services since 2009. We shall hardly agree on going on. That's not good enough for the people of any area. And I will be lobbying with the Minister that does proper services, pushing players that people can easily get to them, that we have a proper ambulance service in place, which is right and important, and the people won't be concerned about physician, rather than the campus you wish. I mean, it's general hospital, wherever the case may be, in the future, in order to assess health services.