Fourfold rise in hoax calls to ambulance service

Hoax calls to the already over-stretched ambulance service have quadrupled within the space of two years, shock new figures reveal.

Some 4,329 such calls were made in 2012 — a steep climb from the 665 recorded five years earlier, and the 1,109 made in 2010.

Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony said the rise was astounding and needed to be curtailed with tougher penalties for hoaxers who could be putting lives at risk by diverting resources away from cases of genuine, serious need.