Laois Senator calls for Portlaoise ambulances to 'stay in Laois', following death of local mother

"How many more families must endure such heartbreak before urgent reform is delivered?" the Senator asked

A Laois senator has called for the introduction of of temporary policies to ensure that Laois ambulances remain local, following the heartbreaking death of a local mother.

Sinn Féin Senator Maria McCormack has raised serious concerns about the National Ambulance Service in Laois, describing the current situation as "dangerous, unsustainable, and costing lives."

Speaking in the Seanad on Tuesday, Senator McCormack highlighted major problems facing frontline paramedics, who report being sent all over the country with no system to ensure coverage is maintained in their home counties.

"Paramedics are routinely dispatched to Galway or beyond — and if they are stuck overnight, there can be hours where no ambulance is available anywhere in Laois," the senator warned.

Pictured: Sinn Féín senator Maria McCormack

Senator McCormack is calling for the 'immediate introduction' of a temporary policy to 'ensure that Laois-based ambulances remain within a safe radius of the county until additional resources are provided'.

The Senator told the Seanad about the McEvoy family from The Heath, whose mother tragically passed away following a brain aneurysm in March of 2023.

Despite multiple calls to 999, Lauren McEvoy, daughter of the deceased, waited over two hours for an ambulance to arrive. The ambulance was dispatched from Clara, county Offaly, while Portlaoise Hospital was only minutes away.

"Lauren’s mother was critically ill. Every minute mattered, and yet the ambulance system failed her," Senator McCormack argued.

"Her story is sadly not unique. Families are living in fear that if they need urgent help, it simply will not be there."

Pictured: Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise

The senator also argued that conditions for ambulance crews are worsening, with 'overruns now the norm'.

"Crews miss breaks, and health and safety standards are being ignored," the Senator slammed.

"Burnout and staff turnover among paramedics are at crisis levels. Laois has just one ambulance base compared to two in neighbouring Offaly, despite having a larger population," she said.

"The system is broken and it is our communities who are paying the ultimate price."

Senator McCormack concluded by calling for a full review of the centralised ambulance dispatch model, an immediate investment in staffing and resources for Laois, and a return to a 'more regional, common-sense approach' to ambulance coverage.

"How many more families must endure such heartbreak before urgent reform is delivered?" Senator McCormack finished.