10 May 2025
By Valerie Ryan
valerie@TheCork.ie
File photo of an Ambulance in West Cork
Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea welcomed recent confirmation from the National Ambulance Service (NAS) to proceed with a number of positive developments for the service during 2025.
This will involve the recruitment of additional staff across several service areas within the NAS and capital investment in their facilities. The approval has been enabled by the Government’s announcement of €8m in 2025 rising to €16m in 2026 for new service developments in the NAS.
Welcoming the positive investment for Cork, Deputy O’Shea said “I want to thank my colleague and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD for her commitment to supporting the continuing transformation of the NAS for patients. The NAS are often the first on the scene in emergencies and do such incredible work. This investment comes at a critical time for Cork and for the NAS staff who continue to work incredibly hard to respond to the rapidly rising increase in demand for all emergency services”.
The NAS Investment for Cork will include:
· 12 additional Paramedics deployed to the Southwest (Cork & Kerry) to ensure each Ambulance Station has sufficient staffing to provide for 24/7 rostering.
· 22 additional Specialist Paramedics (Community) in various locations across the country
· 6 additional Specialist Paramedics to work in the NAS Clinical Hub to undertake secondary triage of 999 calls and identify calls requiring an alternative pathway of care.
· 15 additional Emergency Medical Controllers in the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) to respond to the growing number of 999 calls received.
· 24 additional Emergency Medical Technicians to provide 4 additional Intermediate Care Vehicles in the Southwest and Mid-West
· 10 additional Education staff to facilitate the establishment of a new Tertiary level Educational Campus in Cork, increasing overall capacity to run multiple programmes including an MS. in Specialist Paramedic Practice (Advanced) in January 2026.
In addition to the welcome increase in staffing, the NAS has also received approval for:
· €17.8m in fleet and equipment nationally, including 61 new patient-carrying vehicles to ensure staff continue to have the best possible fleet and equipment available to them
· €1.5m in minor capital to enable essential works to be carried out on Ambulance Stations across the country
· €12.3m for Major Capital Projects including progression of current projects in Mallow, Co. Cork, Rosbrien, Co. Limerick and Glen Abbey, Tallaght, Co. Dublin, Caherciveen, Co. Kerry and New Ross, Co. Wexford
Deputy O’Shea added “I look forward to seeing this investment being rolled out and improving services for the patients who will require the services of the NAS. This investment reaffirms the commitment of the Government to supporting financially what is a vital service for the Cork area. The further investment in 2026 is also most welcome.