Mattie McGrath - Alarm on South Tipperary Paramedic Shortages
Mattie McGrath criticised staffing and facility failings at the South Tipperary Edmunds Service, citing chronic personnel shortages, delayed internal promotions and regular single‑paramedic responses. He described the service's headquarters as appalling, thanked local first responders in Newcastle, and urged increased recruitment and training while noting efforts by the Minister for Health.
Staff shortages and operational strain
He said staffing levels are chronically low, recounting an incident when two Edmundsons had to combine after each had only one paramedic available. He warned that single‑paramedic responses happen "all the time" and said promised internal promotions have been delayed until possibly August.
Headquarters and infrastructure concerns
He described the headquarters in the grounds of South Tipperary General Hospital as appalling, noting a port-a-cab and inadequate staff facilities. He said crews have sought a new building for years, that a site is available, and that a proposed alternative site has been rejected for legitimate reasons.
Support for first responder model and recruitment challenges
He expressed strong support for the first responder model and said the professionalisation of that service has been a major change over the past two decades. He highlighted wider recruitment difficulties in a full employment economy and welcomed the Minister for Health's attempts to boost recruitment and accelerate training.
Local first responders praised
He publicly thanked first responders in his village of Newcastle and around the county for attending calls ahead of paramedics. He said these volunteers are vital but reiterated that paramedic numbers remain insufficient and the situation needs serious examination.
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And indeed, the South Tipperary Edmunds Service is in a chronic state of, you know, frustration. The lack of personnel, we've promised some internals now, now they're told they won't get them until maybe August. One night last week, two Edmundsons had to come together, there were only one paramedic in each, a pack one, to go to a call, and that's happening all the time. On top of that, their headquarters in the grounds of the South Tipperary General Hospital is appalling. A port-a-cab and several 24 staff, and for years they're looking for a new building. They have the site, and there's a proposed site they don't want to go to, and for good reason. So, we badly need support, personnel, and we must thank the first responders in my own village of Newcastle, a great team there, and around the county, who are going out now in advance of paramedics coming, but the paramedics don't have enough of them, they're not there. Edmundsons are packed up, cranny shot it, and then Dickensian conditions that they're operating from as well, so it needs to be examined seriously. First of all, I believe very strongly in the first responder model, and the professionalisation of that service has been one of the great changes over the last two decades, in terms of healthcare, but, again, there's been debate in the houses today, what's the best model, in terms of how we organise our ambulance services, and first responder service, and there's generally across the economy now, has been difficulties in recruitment, because we're in a fully employment economy, and that's creating challenges right across all public services, and indeed in the private sector as well. But I know from the Minister for Health that attempts, efforts are being made in terms of recruitment, but also in terms of training, to increase the number of people available for employment, and also to enable us to recruit more people more rapidly. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
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