Donegal needs dedicated air ambulance service – Boyle

Donegal’s geographic isolation increases the need and urgency to improve emergency response times with an air ambulance station in the county, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Manus Boyle says there needs to be a dedicated Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS) to be stationed in the county.

“Donegal is simply too isolated not to have its own dedicated EAS air ambulance. Our communities are spread across vast rural areas, and the nearest major trauma centres can be hours away. In critical emergencies, that time can be the difference between life and death.”

Senator Boyle has consistently raised the issue at the Oireachtas Health Committee, where he has highlighted the disparity in accessing emergency medical services in Donegal and other parts of the country.

“We cannot continue to overlook the unique challenges faced by Donegal. A permanent air ambulance based in Donegal would ensure faster access to lifesaving care and bring equity to provision around Ireland,” he added.

Senator Boyle is urging the Health Minister and the HSE to prioritise the establishment of a Donegal-based EAS unit in future service planning discussions.

“This is not a luxury; this is a necessity. The people of Donegal deserve the same level of emergency care as other areas of the country,” Senator Boyle concluded.