Tragedy in Portlaoise Sparks Renewed Concerns Over Ambulance Shortages in the Midlands

Portlaoise, Co. Laois – The death of a five-year-old boy in Portlaoise has cast a harsh spotlight on the ongoing ambulance crisis in Ireland, as it emerged that young Aaron Hussain had to be transported to hospital in a fire brigade vehicle due to the unavailability of an ambulance.

The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, February 22, when Aaron was struck by a car. Despite emergency calls, no ambulance arrived in time, prompting first responders to make the urgent decision to transport the critically injured child to the Midlands Regional Hospital using a fire brigade vehicle. Tragically, efforts to save him were unsuccessful.

The case has become emblematic of a broader national issue, with healthcare professionals and public representatives warning that overstretched ambulance resources are placing lives at risk. In counties like Laois—served by just a single ambulance station—the problem is particularly acute.

Speaking in the Seanad, Midlands Senator Marie McCormack described the system as being in "chaos" and directly attributed several fatalities to systemic failures. “Recently I met with local paramedics who were candid about the critical challenges they face daily. A decade ago, when regional control centres managed dispatch, response times were faster thanks to local knowledge. The shift to a centralised national dispatch system has led to significant delays,” she said.

Senator McCormack highlighted how paramedic crews from the Midlands are routinely dispatched to emergencies as far afield as Galway, Dublin, and Monaghan, often leaving their own regions unprotected. “An ambulance crew sent from Laois to Galway may be required to remain there overnight, leaving the county without critical cover. This is not a theoretical issue — it is costing lives,” she added.

She also cited the case of her own father, who passed away while waiting for an ambulance after suffering a stroke.

Another distressing case was that of 65-year-old Pippa McEvoy, who suffered a brain aneurysm at her home near Portlaoise on March 9, 2023. Despite repeated 999 calls—some made by an ICU nurse stressing the severity of the situation—an ambulance did not arrive for over two hours. The vehicle had been dispatched from Clara, Co. Offaly. Although Portlaoise Hospital was only six minutes away, no local ambulance was available. Pippa passed away shortly thereafter.

The McEvoy family has since lodged a formal complaint with the HSE but, according to Senator McCormack, has yet to receive a full response more than a year later.

“We are now facing a full-blown crisis in the National Ambulance Service,” she said. “Every minute lost in response time can be the difference between life and death.”

The Health Service Executive (HSE), when approached for comment on Aaron Hussain’s case, said it could not discuss individual circumstances due to confidentiality obligations. “Even when information becomes public, the HSE remains bound by its duty of client confidentiality,” a spokesperson stated. “However, we are willing to discuss any aspect of care directly with the families involved.”

The growing number of such incidents has intensified calls for a comprehensive review of the ambulance service model, especially in rural and regional areas.