The Health Minister has ruled out the possibility of establishing an Air Ambulance service at Shannon to service critically ill patients in West Clare.
The issue was raised during an adjournment debate in the Dáil where Clare Fine Gael TD Pat Breen told the house that during a recent meeting with HSE Boss Brendan Drumm he encouraged all the Mid West deputies to push for such a facility
However speaking on behalf of Minister Mary Harney, Junior Minister Áine Brady said any funding diverted to another air ambulance initiative would be at the expense of the ground fleet
She added it could be looked at in the future as a long term option but not now.
But Deputy Breen says the cost would be minimal in comparison to the lives the service could save
