The HSE west has officially taken over the industrial units at Mulranny Industrial Park for conversion to the new HSE west ambulance base.
Paudie O’Riordan, chief ambulance officer of the western regional ambulance service, took over the units, according to local Mulranny doctor Jerry Cowley, chairman of the Mulranny Industrial Development Trust Company.
Dr Cowley said that this was a ‘red-letter-day’ for the entire mid west Mayo area which can now look forward to a modern and proximate HSE ambulance service in the future.
When completed the HSE ambulance base will serve the surrounding populations of Mulranny, west towards Achill, east towards Newport and Louisburgh, and north along the N59 towards Bangor Erris and Ballycroy.
The new ambulance base will be located approximately one mile on the western side of Mulranny village, on the main road to Achill. The site and buildings sold to the HSE were originally owned by the Mulranny Development Trust Company Ltd which hopes to develop the rest of the industrial zone for local enterprise.
“The completion of the Mulranny HSE ambulance base will ensure that all citizens of the catchment area are within the acceptable standard of a 20 mile radius of their nearest ambulance base. This is considered essential to save lives. I was assured in the Dáil in 2005 by Minister Brian Lenihan, then health minister of state, that additional capital funding would be made available for this project, and €1.5 million was made available in the HSE capital programme 2006 to 2010. As a local GP I am now appealing to the Government to ensure that there is no delay in ensuring the necessary conversion works are completed, and the necessary revenue funding is put in place to ensure a 24 hour base with 11 HSE ambulance personnel can be a reality for the mid west Mayo area in the not too distant future,” said Dr Cowley.
