Ambulance service 'refutes' claims that visa issues prevented staff from helping in Creeslough
Fine Gael senator claimed that ambulances, based at Altnagelvin Hospital, could not respond to the explosion as foreign-born paramedics did not have visas that allowed them cross the border into Donegal
A claim that some ambulances from Derry were unable to attend the Creeslough explosion in 2022 due to visa issues have been refuted.
Fine Gael senator Emer Currie claimed that ambulances, based at Altnagelvin Hospital, could not respond to the explosion as foreign-born paramedics did not have visas that allowed them cross the border into Donegal.
The disclosure was made to an inquiry by the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly into the operation of the Common Travel Area (CTA) agreement.
The CTA is an agreement between the Republic and the United Kingdom, which allows citizens to travel freely into each other's countries.
Those rights do not extend to migrants living on either side of the border, even if they hold lawful residency.
“Some ambulances from Northern Ireland could not assist during the explosion that occurred in Creeslough because not all of the paramedics had the necessary visas to cross the invisible border,” Senator Currie said.
The deadly blast at the Applegreen complex in Creeslough killed ten people.
Several Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) did assist at the scene of the explosion, but others were presented from doing so. NI Fire and Rescue crews also aided.
Senator Currie said: “The electronic travel authorisation scheme in its current form undermines the Common Travel Area and will damage tourism primarily in Northern Ireland and the North West of Ireland.”
Senator Currie used Creeslough as an example of the difficulties being caused for healthcare services in both jurisdictions, particularly hospital consultant.
However, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said the service totally refutes the allegations and said "that no NIAS staff were prevented in crossing the border for any reason".
An NIAS spokesperson said: "No NIAS staff were prevented in crossing the border for any reason and we are deeply concerned at any reports suggesting this.”
They said a "memorandum of understanding" is in place between NIAS and NAS to provide for cross-border assistance in a declared major incident.
NIAS said this is to help in the management and resourcing of emergency and urgent calls, and cross-border assistance.