Permanent ambulance base confirmed for Buncrana

A permanent ambulance base is to open in Buncrana following a long campaign.

Welcoming the announcement, Pádriag Mac Lochlainn TD (Sinn Féin), confirmed the permanent ambulance base would be located at the site of the current Buncrana Medical Centre, on McCarter's Road.

Responding to Deputy Mac Lochlainn, the National Ambulance Service said: “The current arrangement for the Inishowen Peninsula is not an interim measure. [Ambulance] cover is provided seven days a week from 10:00 to 19:00 hours.

“A permanent base in Buncrana is in process as the National Ambulance Service (NAS) will be allocated facilities in the current HSE Health Centre. This Centre will be vacated for the NAS when the current services and associated staff re-locate to the new Primary Care Centre in Buncrana.

“The current projected date for this to occur is in the last quarter of 2021. In the interim period, a temporary location in Buncrana, which will meet NAS service and staff needs is being sought and this search is being undertaken by HSE Estates.

“The six staff allocated to provide additional operational cover will provide supplementary day cover for the period 10:00 hours to 19:00 hours seven days a week. In addition to the above, also providing additional operational cover are two Community Paramedics (Advanced Paramedic grade) operating two days per week from Buncrana. Furthermore, the permanent roster in Carndonagh has an Advanced Paramedic rostered on each shift.

“Determining the optimum number of Emergency Ambulances and their deployment locations is informed by both historical data and future projections of anticipated emergency call volumes within the areas to be served, an evidenced based approach. Currently, no further resources have been sought for the Inishowen Peninsula,” said the NAS.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn reiterated that a permanent ambulance base for Buncrana had been required for a considerable time.

He added: Confirmation of a permanent ambulance base in Buncrana and the highly anticipated opening of the town's new, state-of-the-art Primary Care Centre, are good good news stories for the South Inishowen area.

“This will be a second ambulance service in Inishowen, which is something we have been fighting for, for a long, long time. Once the Buncrana service is up and running in the new building, we will push it towards two 24-hour-services,” concluded Pádraig Mac Lochlainn.