A local TD is raising concerns around the future of Rescue 117 in Waterford.
Matt Shanahan says there are discussions underway at the moment regarding a new national tender for that service.
And he says the tender conditions could jeopardise those jobs locally.
Speaking on Déise Today Deputy Shanahan said the service can't be allowed to leave Waterford:
"My stance on it would be that you don't fix what's not broken. We have an excellent service down here - we've had it for almost a decade and I would be very fearful of any changes to the configuration or any idea that other public bodies can provide what has been provided privately here now for the last 10 years.
"I met the Department of Transport last September and they highlighted to me that the tender was up, that they were looking at a number of possible configurations like splitting the contract."
Continuing, the Independent Deputy said he feels it is vital that Waterford should retain this service:
"We have a helicopter that has, in the last month alone, rescued 14 people in perilous danger, it has recovered two bodies, it does immeasurable work in patient transfers.
"It's the only helicopter service capable of travelling to the French coast to support the activity out of Rosslare, and the idea now that they may be looking at a base in Hawlbowling in Cork, or looking at servicing it in Baldonnell is unacceptable to me.
"I think it should be unacceptable to everybody else."
And Matt Shanahan's interview on Deise Today can be accessed by clicking below...
