BY DAVID FORSYTHE
IN remote parts of West Cork, particularly on the islands and peninsulas, GPs should be given the authority to call on the rescue helicopter in emergencies, according to Cllr Finbarr Harrington (Ind).
Cllr Harrington raised the issue at a recent meeting of Cork County Council’s Western Municipal District where he submitted a motion that proposed: ‘That this Council would write to the Department of Transport to allow for the call out of rescue 115 at night by a GP or paramedic in the event of immediate medical emergency transportation to hospital, in the West Cork area especially for the peripheral and island regions.’ Mr Harrington said that though there was an air ambulance service in operation, it was unable to fly at night and when serious incidents like road traffic accidents occurred on the islands and peninsulas at night, a helicopter often could not be sent to help.
Mr Harrington said that resident nurses on some of the islands were able to call the rescue helicopter but not all of the islands have such nurses in place.
He said that the peninsulas, due their remoteness, should also be treated in the same way as the islands and called for GPs in those areas to be able to request the rescue helicopter.
Seconding the motion, Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy (FF) said: ‘If you get sick in Glanmire you would be in Dublin quicker than you’d get from Allihies to Cork. Why is it only public health nurses are allowed to request the helicopter?
Executive officer Noreen O’Mahony said the issues raised in the motion would be discussed at the next meeting of the Inter Island Agency.
