The National Ambulance Service received almost 1,400 fake or prank calls last year.
That's according to new figures in the Sunday Independent, which show the numbers rose toward the end of 2021.
Over 300 fake or prank calls were recorded during the school holiday months of June and July.
CEO of the privately operated Lifeline Ambulance Service David Hall says this is wasting valuable time:
"The challenge here is this takes up time, this takes time and everyone wants to be cautious and make sure that they're making the right decision and that indeed it is a hoax call. I think the only way that this is going to be prevented is where there's the appropriate punishment and appropriate penalty, up to and including imprisonment, for anybody who makes a hoax called for any of the emergency services, particularly the ambulance service."
