Concerns Over Arklow Ambulance Coverage.

Arklow Councillors have expressed serious concerns about their district’s insufficient National Ambulance Service coverage.

Arklow Councillors have expressed serious concerns about their district’s insufficient National Ambulance Service coverage, which does not operate between 7 a.m and 7 p.m on Tuesdays, calling the gap in service “the difference between life or death”.

Inundated with calls from concerned residents, Cathaoirleach of the Arklow Municipal District, Cllr Pat Kennedy, raised the pressing issue at this month’s district meeting, saying:

“I have had a number of people contact me in relation to the ambulance service in south Wicklow. They have been asking me if we do have full cover, or do we not have full cover?“I think we need to write to the National Ambulance Service and ask them if they could give us a presentation on their coverage, especially in the Arklow Municipal District.”Councillors Sylvester Bourke and Pat Fitzgerald agreed that there needed to be more clarity on the service before Cllr Peir Leonard interjected, saying: “I actually sent an email to the HSE about it and I received a response from them recently. It reads:

“The ambulance service operates a 24/7 response from its Arklow base, excluding Tuesday, when there is no cover in place between 7 a.m and 7 p.m. However, the National Ambulance Service operates a dynamic model of ambulance deployment.”“We are not the only Municipal District that is affected by this and I’m afraid to think of how many people don’t have access to the service when they desperately need it.”