Ambulance workers to ballot for strike action

Siptu ambulance staff are to ballot for strike action over, what their union says, is the continued refusal of Health Minister Leo Varadkar to publish a national capacity review of the service.

Addressing the annual general meeting of the union’s ambulance sector yesterday, Siptu health division organiser, Paul Bell said: “Our members have been waiting months for the minister to live up to his commitment to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health in February 2014 that he would publish this review in speedy manner.

“The minister’s refusal to do this leaves our members with no option but to ballot for strike action as the publication of this report into the operational capacity of the ambulance service is in the interest of both workers and the public.”

Last year, when it also called for the review to be published, Siptu claimed that the service was short a total of 290 ambulance professionals.

Peter Ray, chairman of the Irish Ambulance Representative Council, said: “In addition, we are calling for the implementation of a comprehensive intermediate care service plan across the 26 counties that will free up vital frontline emergency ambulance vehicles and personnel.”

The ballot is scheduled to conclude by the end of this month.