AMBULANCE DRIVERS across the State have voted by 12 to one in favour of industrial action.
The result of the ballot of 1,200 emergency ambulance staff, which took place over the past few weeks, was announced yesterday afternoon.
The drivers, who are members of Siptu, will meet on Thursday week, to decide what form their action will take.
They will then have to give the HSE three weeks' notice of their planned action.
However, stringent efforts are likely to be made before then to avert a strike. The HSE said last night it was prepared to meet Siptu to discuss its concerns.
The decision of ambulance drivers to vote for industrial action is in response to the HSE's awarding of contracts to three companies for the provision of a private ambulance service.
The HSE stressed last night that any suggestion it was moving to privatise the national ambulance service was untrue. It said private contracts had existed for providing patient transport for many years.
"As a number of different private contracts had existed under the former health board regime, the HSE was obliged to initiate a tendering competition under EU regulations. This would also guarantee patient safety, quality of service and a standardised approach," it said. "It should be noted that this tender and the total work of the private companies represents less than 4 per cent of the total budget of the national ambulance service. It refers in the main to the transportation of patients - not emergency call-outs," it said.