Lack of ambulance staff in Athlone could cost lives according to local Councillor

There are calls on management in the national ambulance service to implement an adequate roster in the Athlone area before lives are lost.

Councillor John Dolan says reports that there was one ambulance available on Saturday and no ambulance on Sunday last because of a lack of staff is unacceptable.

He says that local representatives raised the issue of rosters in 2019 with management and were assured that a new system was being put in place.

According to Councillor Dolan there have to be at least three ambulances on call fully manned at all times in Athlone to give patients a chance of survival when something like a cardiac arrest happens.

He says it's time that the ambulance service management got their act together: