Edenderry ambulance service not under threat

Edenderry's current level of ambulance cover is not under threat, it was revealed at a recent meeting between Edenderry town councillors and ambulance management. The meeting, which took place in Edenderry town hall on February 9, was requested by town councillors looking for an update on the ambulance service in the town. Operating on a twelve hour per day basis since January 2011, ambulance personnel are currently based in a temporary facility at Ofalia House. Concerns have been raised in recent months that failure to provide an appropriate permanent base for ambulance staff in Edenderry could jeopardise the town's level of service in the future. The meeting also revealed that the focus now is on making the temporary ambulance base at Ofalia House more suitable to its needs. Town councillors met with the ambulance service's north Leinster area operations manager Martin Dunne, operations performance manager William Merriman and operations resource manager John Marshall. At the meeting town councillors were informed that while the current ambulance base in Edenderry is less than ideal, the ambulance service is actively engaged with the HSE to establish what, if any, improvements could be undertaken at Ofalia House to make the ambulance base more suitable. Councillors were also assured at the meeting that the town's ambulance service is not under threat. However, councillors at the same meeting were informed that ongoing changes taking place nationally in how the ambulance service operates is being factored in with regard to the ambulance base at Edenderry. Proposed ambulance service changes for the future include centralised control centres. Town councillors underlined at the meeting that Edenderry must get a full time ambulance service in the shortest possible time, but reported after the meeting they were satisfied with the commitment given at the meeting to maintain the current service in Edenderry along with an agreement to update local councillors on any change that might occur to that.