Isolated areas in the south-west are in need of basic equipment and training to enable the public to deal with cases of sudden cardiac arrest, the Southern Health Board has been told.
Rural Cork and Kerry have some of the highest rates of death from heart attack in the State, but some of the slowest intervention rates because they are farthest from acute hospitals, the board heard.
As a result early intervention with defibrillators and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation has saved lives.
Suffering a coronary attack in a remote area such as the Dingle peninsula introduced huge geographic problems, Dr Catherine Molloy, the board's vice-chairwoman said.
The Beara peninsula in west Cork is 110 miles from Cork University Hospital and 40 miles from Bantry General Hospital.
Pilot "first responder" programmes devised to train the community to deal with heart attacks are in place in just two locations, health board members were told.
First-responder units involving training by ambulance personnel and training and equipping GPs are only in place on a pilot basis in Dingle and Kinsale.
A third programme is planned for part of north Cork, said Ms Ann Doherty, the health board's director of strategy and planning.
Expansion of the service would depend on funding under the cardiovascular health strategy, as well as an evaluation process, Ms Doherty explained.