Kildare Senator Mark Wall has spoken of the importance of AEDs in our communities and praised those who volunteer in our community groups.
Speaking on the Life Saving Equipment Bill 2017 in the Seanad, Senator Wall commented:
As the Cathaoirleach will be aware I have continuously raised the importance of AEDs in all our communities since I was first elected to this House. I am glad that today we are also including lifebuoys as part of this Bill.
I congratulate my Fianna Fáil colleagues for bringing this important legislation before us because coming from a town with a canal and a river, the importance of lifebuoys cannot be overemphasised. Unfortunately, we have had incidents in the past where, when a person went to look for those lifebuoys, they were not there.
The importance of AEDs has been mentioned by every previous speaker and I want to thank the defibrillator operators throughout Ireland, the community first responders and the GAA clubs that have been mentioned. My own GAA club has one and I have been trained in its use. That is important, and something we all should do in this House, to get up to speed and be trained in the use of an AED.
I will quickly mention two other items. We need to remove VAT from the cost of AEDs. As has been said this is community funded. People are going out collecting money to buy AEDs. That is important. Also, most importantly we need a national register of AEDs. I have called for this through a Commencement matter in this House on numerous occasions. I believe the National Ambulance Service is carrying out that register and that is important.
Today is a very important day. We need to ensure that when a person looks for that AED to save a life, it is there. I again thank the community first responders throughout all our communities for the great work they do for us all
Senator Wall further stated.
Our community groups do tremendous work on saving lives throughout all our communities. This piece of legislation, I hope will prevent criminal damage to these life saving devices. We need to remove the VAT on this equipment given the benefit to us all of having one near at hand. As I have stated on a number of occasions, it is important that we have a national register of AED’S so when that time comes that you may need one for a loved one or friend, you know where to go and find it.
For more ring Mark on 0833341488