The Government has been accused of stalling on the provision of a dedicated all-island emergency helicopter medical service, which had been backed by a cross-Border report.
Such a service could play a vital role in serious accidents, such as that which occurred on Clare Island, Co Mayo, last weekend, when an outdoor education professional was involved in a pier fall, Independent Mayo TD Jerry Cowley has claimed.
Niamh McGrath (37), a highly experienced outdoor education professional from Dublin and part-time lecturer in Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in Mayo, was still critically ill in hospital yesterday after she was airlifted by the Shannon-based Sikorsky helicopter in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Islanders have raised questions about aspects of the rescue, which was carried out in a very inaccessible location in a cove on the north-east of the island on a very cold night.
However, the Irish Coast Guard says that the rescue, involving the Achill island lifeboat and the Shannon Sikorsky, was carried out within allowable time limits, while being constrained by the inaccessibility of a very steep embankment.
A doctor had supervised all aspects of the rescue, the Irish Coast Guard said.
However, Dr Cowley said yesterday only a dedicated air ambulance service could adequately respond to situations like that which occurred on Clare island, and which might occur on a motorway in some other part of the State.
"A multi-purpose role is not acceptable in a land-based emergency where the casualty may have serious head or spinal injuries and requires intensive care," he said.
The Department of Health and Children is in discussions with the Irish Coast Guard and the Air Corps on drawing up a service level agreement for a dedicated air ambulance service.
The fleet of four Irish Coast Guard medium-range helicopters already carry out inter-hospital transfers and medical evacuations from islands, while the Air Corps was pulled out of search and rescue altogether by the previous minister for defence, Michael Smith.
However, the Department of Health says that a significant helicopter fleet replacement programme has been approved and put in place for the Air Corps. The helicopters, which are being purchased primarily for troop-carrying Army support, will have a specific air ambulance capability and greater flying capacity, it says.
