Accident highlights ambulance turmoil

TWO people seriously injured in a recent car crash in West Limerick were left waiting with suspected spinal injuries for up to two hours before ambulances arrived on the scene.

It’s been branded a ‘shocking’ incident by one Kerry politician this week who said it was ‘as a direct result’ of the centralisation of the National Ambulance Service’s emergency call-out system.

The accident - described as ‘serious’ - happened on Friday, August 5, last at Templeglantine in West Limerick at 3.30pm.

But despite the fact a 999 call was made immediately at the scene it took the first ambulance over an hour from the time of the accident to reach the scene, with a second ambulance not arriving until 5.30pm - fully two hours later.

That’s according to Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy Rae, who also claimed that the fire brigade from Abbeyfeale arrived at the scene between 4.15 and 4.20pm - having only received the call-out at 3.59pm.

“The first garda car arrived on the scene a full 2 hours after the accident occurring. This garda car came from Askeaton, Limerick,” Deputy Healy Rae said, stating:

“This shocking delay in response to this urgent call out is obviously a direct result of the centralisation of our emergency call out system”.

“To think that two injured people would be left in a vehicle for two hours in this day and age is truly shocking. A delay like this should never again be allowed to occur.”