TD accused of abandoning ambulance group

Ambulance campaigners who began a four-day protest march from West Cork yesterday have accused a Government TD of abandoning them in their hour of need.

The West Cork SOS group, which is fighting proposed changes to the region’s ambulance service, hit back at Cork South West Fine Gael TD Jim Daly after he accused “vested interests” within the campaign of “reckless and opportunistic scaremongering”.

Campaign spokesman Frank Fahy said: “I know of nobody within the West Cork SOS group who has an interest other than to protect the lives and well-being of the people of West Cork — which is more than Mr Daly has ever done or had the political will to do.

“This action [the protest] would not have to happen if it were not for the outright refusal of Mr Daly, for the last 12 months, to ensure that the concerns of the people who elected him reached the ears and the desk of the minister of health.”

Mr Fahy said politicians including Fine Gael TD Noel Harrington and Labour TD Michael McCarthy had raised concerns on their behalf in the Dáil.

“But not Mr Daly who has consistently toed the party line, the HSE, and the ministerial line in order not to rock the gravy train that the people who elected him and who now need his help, put him on. And he has the gall to say ‘vested interests’,” Mr Fahy said.

“Mr Daly should wake up and finally realise that nobody in West Cork thinks that the HSE proposals are good.”

Mr Daly stood by his criticism of the campaigners last night. “I issued the press release to counteract the fear that is being spread among citizens of West Cork,” he said.

“It is a lie for anyone to state that there will be no ambulance cover for the Skibbereen area next year.

“This falsehood has instilled fear and anxiety in so many very vulnerable people. I have a responsibility as a public representative to communicate the facts to the people.

“I reiterate that the proposed new model of ambulance cover for the entire West Cork area will be a significant improvement on existing arrangements and will lead to a reduction of up to 21 minutes on current response times to emergencies in West Cork.”

He said he is not worried about the impact his stance may have on his chances at the next general election.

“This is not about politics for me — the people deserve the truth at all times and as long as I have the responsibility of elected office I will communicate honestly with the electorate.

“Electoral considerations do not feature in this very serious issue for me.”

The West Cork SOS campaign began its four-day march from Skibbereen to Cork University Hospital (CUH) yesterday. They want to highlight concerns about the HSE’s proposals to change from an on-call to an on-duty system for paramedics.

The “on duty” system will include a mix of emergency ambulances and rapid response vehicles which will be strategically deployed.

The West Cork SOS group said the changes will result in the loss of one of the region’s four ambulances. The system has been introduced in East Cork and the HSE is evaluating it before introducing it in North Cork.

It has promised more public consultation before the system is introduced in West Cork.

The West Cork SOS protest continues today from Clonakilty to Innishannon, and from Innishannon to Bishopstown tomorrow, before arriving at CUH on Saturday.