Ambulance service will not be cut, insists HSE

SENIOR HSE officials have insisted there will be “absolutely no cutbacks” to ambulance services in Cork and Kerry — despite plans to cut on-call hours, reduce ambulance numbers and place an emphasis on first responder volunteers in rural communities.

Speaking during an at-times fractious media briefing on new plans for the service in the region, HSE national ambulance director Robert Morton said repeated claims the quality of care provided is under threat, are wide of the mark.

Under plans announced by Mr Morton, HSE Cork area manager Ger Reaney and HSE South area operations manager Nicky Glynn, the senior official confirmed that from the end of next year, ambulance crew will no longer work on-call hours.