Oireachtas intervention on ambulances urged

The Oireachtas committee on health is “to be thoroughly briefed” by councillors battling cutbacks to West Cork’s ambulances before it questions HSE officials on why they have reduced the service.

Standing orders were suspended at the council’s western committee meeting in Clonakilty yesterday in order to discuss the downgrading of the service and the crash in Castletownbere last week when an ambulance driver fell asleep behind the wheel because he had been working 22 hours non-stop trying to make up for a lack of proper cover.

The HSE is carrying out an internal investigation into the accident, but has refused to comment further.