Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has reiterated his support for the retention of the Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) ambulance service at a solidarity protest outside Tallaght Fire Station on the Belgard Road.

The Sinn Féin TD said that over last 100 years the service has shown itself to be successful in delivering on public safety, and that if it isn’t broken, then why the rush to change a service that is clearly working.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“I recognise the important and significant contribution that the DFB make to pre-hospital emergency care services. I am fully behind the DFB in its calls to retain the ambulance services that they provide.

“The DFB has over 100 years of experience in providing their Emergency Medical Service. The removal of any element of DFB’s Emergency Medical Service systems would potentially have an adverse effect on patient care. Experienced professionals in the DFB believe it is dangerous to both firefighters and paramedics, as well as to the people of Dublin, to try and make such drastic changes to a functional and successfully operating service.

“The ambulance service delivered by DFB is second to none. It is economical and highly effective. The DFB responds to 80% of life threatening emergency calls within the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) recommended response time of under 8 minutes.

“It is very much a case of if it isn’t broken, and it’s delivering a quality service, then why the rush to change it.

“The DFB’s Emergency Medical Service has served Dublin city and its county well. I publicly support the fire fighter paramedics in their legitimate fight to retain this service.”

ENDS