SIPTU has said the ambulance workers’ strike means “people’s lives and people’s health” could be put at risk.
They say that the industrial dispute has “gone on too long” and called for a “proper resolution” to be “brought about with quickly”, reports RTE.
He said the strike “is a source of real concern for anybody need to use our ambulance services regularly”.
“There’s been huge reform, huge modernisation of the ambulance services over the last number of year,” they said, reports RTE.
SIPTU say that paramedics now carry out a “much more medicalised role” and are “saving a lot more lives with the training they have”.
Richard Boyd Barrett said responsibility for the strike action “lies squarely at the door of the Government”, reports RTE.
He said ambulance workers had been “forced to take industrial action because of the disgraceful failure of the HSE and the Government to acknowledge their completely justified and long-standing demand for the changes in the nature of their work and the fact that they are highly trained people”.
He added: “These are people who provide advanced medical care and paramedic care and administer medications, often saving lives of patients”, reports RTE.
Marie Sherlock said there has been a “deafening silence from the minister and from this government” regarding the ambulance workers’ protest action.
Speaking outside Leinster House, she said there is a “very palpable sense of frustration, but determination” among workers, reports RTE.
“They are not going to back down,” she said.
She called on the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health “to put this at the top of their agenda”, reports RTE.
The 999 and 112 emergency phone services remain fully operational throughout the 24-hour strike.
The HSE has implemented a contingency plan, with priority being given to patients facing emergencies including cardiac or respiratory arrest and serious trauma incidents such as road traffic collisions, reports RTE.
People have also been advised to consider alternative healthcare services during the strike, including injury units, GP clinics, local pharmacies and mental health supports.
The NAS said people experiencing less time-critical emergencies “may need to think about whether they need to make their own way to hospital”, reports RTE.
The comments were made while speaking at the Kinsale Road roundabout in Cork.
The Department of Health said it is “regrettable” that members of SIPTU and Unite within the National Ambulance Service (NAS) decided to proceed with the strike action, reports RTE.
In a statement, the department said the industrial action would significantly impact service capacity and could disrupt emergency care and timely access to lifesaving treatment.
It said: “The State accepts that NAS pay structures need to be modernised and previous engagement at the WRC concluded with the State offering pay increases of 3-14%, on top of the 9.25% increase under the current public service agreement.
“These increases were linked to essential service reforms designed to improve patient care, response times and how services are delivered, by supporting better deployment and training and professional development of staff”, reports RTE.
The department said the only way the dispute can be resolved is “through dialogue” and urged unions to re-engage with HSE management.
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