HSE probes whistleblower claims on ambulance cover

An investigation is under way into claims by a whistle-blower that only one ambulance was left to provide cover to an estimated 150,000 people across Limerick City and the east of the county on Leaving Certificate results night.

The source claimed no trained paramedics were rostered to work in the city from midnight Wednesday to 8am Thursday morning, leaving only two student paramedics on duty on what is potentially one of the ambulance service’s busiest nights of the year.

Student paramedics are not allowed to respond in ambulances to 999 emergency calls without a trained paramedic assisting them, the source said.