Proposals for Ambulance Training School in Ballinalsoe

I welcome proposals by the HSE to provide training for Emergency Medical Technicians for the ambulance service in Ballinasloe.

The proposal is to recruit these technicians nationally and decentralise the training to the buildings in St. Brigid’s Hospital, Ballinasloe. The training programme is due to start in the autumn. There is to be 3 or 4 courses held each year with 30 students approximately in each course.

I welcome the positive impact the decentralising of these courses would have for Ballinasloe. Ballinasloe already has a 24 hour ambulance service but there is no ambulance base in North East Galway. When the Tuam Health Campus and ambulance base is completed it is important that trained personnel are available locally.

This training is vital for the ambulance service in the West and Midlands.