THERE HAVE been urgent calls for an enquiry into how the closest ambulance to Drogheda - the largest town in Ireland - took 30 minutes to arrive at the scene of an accident on Scarlet Street.

The woman was treated at the scene and arrived at the hospital just after 6pm.

The two ambulances servicing Drogheda were on call outs in Dublin and Dundalk at the time of the incident, which meant the nearest ambulance was dispatched from St. Brigid's hospital, Ardee.

At the time of the collision, a spare ambulance was stationed at the Cottage Hospital, seconds from the accident, however, no paramedics were contacted to crew the vehicle.

Local councillor Paul Bell is demanding that Minister for Health Dr. James Reilly conduct a public inquiry into why Drogheda was left without ambulance cover on Monday evening.

This is the second time in 12 months that the town was left without cover while a member of the public was in critical need of emergency attention.

'The information I have to hand informs me that the two ambulances assigned to Drogheda were located in Dundalk and Dublin and that no standby ambulance was stationed at Drogheda, which forced a situation whereby the ambulance which responded to the emergency call at about 5.20 p.m. was dispatched from Ardee ambulance base in St Brigid's Hospital,' said Cllr. Bell..

He said that paramedics had contacted him to express their frustration at the situation.

'We have highly motivated ambulance personnel trained and equipped to the highest standard and many of them have contacted me to express their deepest concerns that, yet again, a question has been raised about a fatality and the response of the ambulance service.

'It is not for me to say whether the gentleman who died on Constitution Hill last year or the senior citizen killed last night would have been saved by a speedier response time. But I can say this, that the citizens of Drogheda are entitled to the availability of an ambulance and crew at all times and our ambulance personnel in the town of Drogheda believe the HSE needs to urgently address the deficit created in the town when ambulances are assigned to duties in other locations in Dublin and throughout the North East. This situation must stop now.'

In a statement from the HSE, it was confirmed that the ambulance took almost 45 minutes to get the woman to hospital, having been dispatched from Ardee.

'The HSE wishes to extend its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased,' a spokesman said in a statement.

'The National Ambulance Service confirms that an emergency ambulance call was received at 17:22 hrs on January 16, for the Drogheda Area.

'Vehicles that are stationed in the Drogheda area were tasked on calls at the time.

'As per standard operation procedure the closest available ambulance, was immediately dispatched to the scene..

'The patient was transported to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.

'The National Ambulance Service works on an area basis as opposed to a local basis; it is not a static service. Seven emergency ambulances are operating directly within this area, two based in Drogheda, four in Dundalk and one in Ardee.'

A source for paramedics working in Drogheda has expressed frustration at the situation.

'If both Drogheda vehicles are out on call, another ambulance must be sent to cover Drogheda,' said a source. 'There isn't a paramedic in this town who wouldn't jump to drive a spare vehicle.'