New charity to fund air ambulance

A charity has been set up to provide an air ambulance service for Ireland.

Kerry-based Irish Air Ambulance will fund Ireland's first dedicated helicopter service and plans to have the service under way next year.

Fundraising is begun to get the €500,000 needed to begin operations, with the first aircraft expected to require €1,200,000 to operate each year.

The initiative was begun by Derek Rowe, the chairman of the board, who said the plan has had a positive response so far.

"Our objective is to provide a dedicated and reliable helicopter Air Ambulance service which, importantly, will complement and enhance existing ground-based resources in responding to incidents . . . the role will also include urgent hospital-to-hospital patient transfers," he said.

Ireland is one of the few countries in Europe without an air ambulance service.

The charity's board of trustees include Irish businessmen and politicians, including MEP Kathy Sinnott and Kerry mayor Michael Healy Rae.