Founders of air ambulance grounded as contract awarded to Malta-based firm

Officially launching Critical, the emergency medical response charity, are Dr Lisa Cunningham, board member; Micheál Sheridan, chief executive; and Dr Jason Horan, volunteer emergency medical responder. Picture: Michael Mc Laughlin

The charity which launched Ireland’s first community-funded air ambulance has moved to reassure people the life-saving service will continue to fly, but under new operators and will be fully State-funded, from the end of the month.

Irish Community Air Ambulance (ICAA) gave the commitment on Thursday after it emerged that despite its track record, it was unsuccessful in its joint bid with Sloane Helicopters for the HSE tender to provide a fully-State-funded helicopter emergency medical service (Hems) in the South-West.