The response of the national ambulance service was up to the standard that was expected in the vast majority of cases, Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Dáil.

Mr Kenny was responding to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin who said the circumstances surrounding the death of Vakaris Martinaitis, a two-year-old boy, in Midleton, had caused significant concern in east Cork. When a neighbour rang for an ambulance, he was told none was available, Mr Martin said.

The Taoiseach said it was important to ascertain the facts as to what happened after the 999 call was made at 2pm.

“It is important that we get the facts of the sequence of events that meant an ambulance was not dispatched when, I understand, an ambulance was available to deal with this particular incident,’’ he added.

Mr Martin said he welcomed the fact that the HSE had set up a review group to inquire into all the circumstances surrounding both the call and the fact that, ultimately, the child was transported to hospital in the back of the neighbour’s car.

He added that there was a similar incident in the town some weeks earlier when another young child died tragically.

'Concerns'
"Increasingly, we hear around the country that these are not isolated incidents,'' he added. "There are concerns across the country about the adequacy of the ambulance services and, above all, the response times in getting to emergency life-threatening situations in the midlands region, Galway etc.''

In Carlow, some time ago, it took seven hours and three ambulances to bring a footballer to hospital, Mr Martin said. A year earlier in Drogheda a man was left on the street for 25 minutes before being attended to.

Mr Kenny said the national ambulance service was constantly monitored and reviewed. When incidents came to light, it was fundamental to ascertain what the response was and why it was made.

He added that he would have no difficulty in revealing the facts to the House when they became known.