War of words over ambulance coverage

The HSE has rejected claims that one of Cork’s busiest 999 ambulance bases has no emergency ambulance cover because of staff sick leave.

A HSE spokesperson said Skibbereen ambulance station had the full support of all paramedics in West Cork while it was short-staffed.

However, campaigners in the West Cork SOS group — which is fighting HSE plans to reconfigure the region’s ambulance service — accused the HSE of “playing with words”.