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8th April 2014 • Volume 21, Issue 12 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. • Tel: 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie
Loss Of Ambulance Could Cost Lives A review is being carried out by the HSE and Dublin City Council in regard to the ambulance service in the Dublin area, which may have a profound effect on the service in the North County.
By Patrick Finnegan
was the officer who whipped Reuben off me to do CPR,” Had the Dublin Fire Brigade At present, Dublin Fire role played by the ambulance not turned Brigade and the HSE Dublin Fire Brigade up when they did, we provide ambulance ambulance service, was would not be talking service for the North their part in about this County from their bases saving the life of story,” he said. in Swords, and the fear Swords baby, Meanwhile, is that control of Reuben Clifford. Swords based Dublin’s ambulance His parents Paul councillor service is set to move (41) and Jen (35) Darragh Butler from Dublin Fire Brigade will be forever (FF) has grateful to the to the HSE. expressed his A number of Dublin Fire members of B concerns that who Brigade ambulance Watch, this review is to crew members tended not an indepencontacted this news- Reuben at their dent one, and is Cllr. Butler paper, outlining their Swords home, being carried little concerns and anxieties after out by the HSE, who stopped have a vested interest in for the safety of local Reuben people, should this vital breathing when he was this, and the fear is that service be moved from just four days old. They Dublin City Council and Dublin Fire Brigade to were able to express the HSE may view this the HSE. They as a cost saving “Had Dublin Fire Brigade fear that such a issue, which Ambulance Not Turned Up move will lead should not be the to longer When They Did, We Would Not case, he mainresponse times, Be Talking About This Story.” tains. particularly if He recently met the local HSE ambu- their gratitude in with Billy Kelleher, lance is not available person, when they Fianna Fail’s Health and one has to be brought Reuben, now spokesperson, along dispatched from longer aged seven months, with local senator, distances. The Fire and his brother Harry Darragh O’Brien and Brigade ambulance is (3) to the station to two members of Dublin ideally located in meet the dedicated Fire Brigade Ambulance Swords to provide crew. crew, Garry Hayden and emergency cover for the Paul believes that the entire North County ambulance service area. The crew provided by the Fire members also Brigade station in expressed their disap- Swords is providing a pointment that the vital service to the area. Minister for Health, who Speaking to the County is a resident in the area, Leader, he said, “The has remained silent on family expressed their the issue. They said gratitude to station chillingly, that “the loss officer, John McNally of this service is likely to and the crew from B lead to a lives being lost Watch when they met in the community.” them. It was a team A recent example of the effort. Joe Dromgoole
Glen Ellis, to express their fears for the service in Swords. The meeting took place in Leinster House. Butler, said, “We are very lucky in Swords and North County Dublin to have both the HSE Ambulance Service based in Lissenhall, for whom we have also recently strongly campaigned and the Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) Ambulance service. Both services complement each other
and provide an invaluable service to Swords and North County Dublin. This is already an issue for locals, and I have been asked about this on the doorsteps last week.” He concluded, “I will be putting a motion before the Swords area committee and the full council meeting, calling for this review to be abandoned, and if they do carry one out, that it should be independent.”
Pictured are the delighted Clifford family on their recent visit to Dublin Fire Brigade station in Swords, to say thanks to the ambulance crew for saving their son, Reuben's life. Paul is pictured with baby Reuben in his arms, with wife Jen and son Harry (3) enjoying the fire engine.
Malahide Post Office Staying Put
Office. Instilling unnecessary worry on regular users of Malahide Post Office is unacceptable, particularly when there is no basis for the concern,” he said. “Malahide Post Office is not closing. nor is it moving to Tesco. This fact has been confirmed by Angus Laverty, Local deputy, Alan Farrell Public Affairs Manager of An (FG) has confirmed that Post. Considerable welcome Malahide Post Office will not investment in the services be closed. provided by An Post at Speaking to the County Malahide recently took place, Leader, Farrell said, “Over having moved from Townyard the last number of weeks, I Lane into the Malahide have been contacted by Shopping Centre, a much numerous residents of Malahide, and most recently, Alan Farrell TD larger, more user friendly environment for customers and by the Malahide Community Forum, regarding the scare tactics staff alike. I am therefore, happy to employed by the Irish Postmasters confirm that there is no threat to Union, and locally at Malahide Post Malahide Post Office,” he concluded.
Working For You Councillor
Gerry
McGuire Vote No.1
The Heart Of Shopping In Balbriggan FREE PARKING
Tel: 087 2381980 e-mail: gerry.mcguire@fingal.ie