The Health Minister is to publish a review of ambulance response times, which shows they're much slower than recommended.
A new HSE report has found just one in 15 ambulances reaches patients in need of emergency care within the eight-minute target in rural areas.
The National Ambulance Service review also found that 750 more staff and an additional 250 ambulances are needed.
Dr Mick Molloy, a consultant in emergency medicine agrees that the ambulance service needs to be better resourced.
However he says the 8 minute time frame has come from a US report, which does not have evidence to back it up.