Longford councillor in heart scare takes aim at ambulance wait times

Cllr Paraic Brady spoke out this week following a heart scare in Dromard on August 20 last.

The 48-year-old has since made a full recovery, but called for swift governmental action after he explained how it took more than an hour for an ambulance to arrive from Co Louth to bring him to Cavan General Hospital.

“I didn't even realise at the time about my own situation, it was only when I found out afterwards that I was shocked to hear the ambulance I was taken away in had travelled from Dundalk,” he said.

“There is no way an ambulance should have to travel that far, no way.

“There needs to be a quick and speedy streamlining of the National Ambulance Service (NAS).”

The Drumlish based local representative was keen to stress how his urgings were not directed towards paramedics and front line responders, but rather a criticism of a system in dire need of overhaul.

Cllr Brady also said he had discussed the topic at length with Roscommon based Fianna Fáil Senator Eugene Murphy with a view towards bringing the issue to the table of Health Minister Simon Donnelly.

“It's something I will definitely be bringing up at HSE level,” he said, in reference to his membership with the organisation's Mid Leinster Health Forum.

“I am very grateful to the ambulance and the paramedics that took care of me, but the reality is waiting times are too long and there are just not enough of them (ambulances) out there,” he said.