The true extent of the risks posed to the people of Cavan and Monaghan by the ambulance staff shortage are emerging as politicians, a firefighter and paramedic all come forward with worrying reports of life-threatening response times.
Earlier this week, Northern Sound brought you information from a whistleblower who alleges cuts to overtime hours and roster changes for paramedics often leaves ambulance stations in both counties without cover for extended periods of time.
The contact said, for example, that between the hours of 9pm on Friday, 28th February and 7am the following morning there were "zero ambulances" or crews in Monaghan Ambulance Station. In response, the HSE said "Paramedic recruitment and retention is an ongoing issue for National Ambulance Service stations nationwide, including in Monaghan and Cavan,"
Now, someone describing themselves as a "concerned paramedic" has contacted this station to say the staff and rota issues are "directly affecting people in the community". This person quotes a situation in December 2024 when a man in County Monaghan suffered a cardiac arrest. "The response time target for this type of incident is under 8 minutes," the person claimed, "but it took the ambulance 45 minutes to arrive and the patient unfortunately did not survive."
Sinn Féin Cavan County Councillor Damian Brady, is also station officer at Ballyconnell Fire Brigade. He said he raised the issue in the council a year ago and agrees with both whistleblowers that lives are being put at risk (listen below):
