A Kerry councillor is calling for an immediate review of the National Ambulance Service.
Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Cahill says a review should look at the efficiency of the service in rural Ireland, as well as locations of ambulance bases, following adverse reports of response times in recent weeks.
Cllr Cahill says one constituent contacted him to say a parent had to drive them to a hospital emergency department, five hours after first calling for an ambulance.
Radio Kerry News previously reported that an ambulance had to make a 160-kilometre journey from Clare to Cromane as there was no vehicle available in Kerry.
The Fianna Fáil councillor says clarity is needed around whether the deficiency is in the numbers of staff or vehicles, and the service must be organised to operate at its most efficient level possible.
