Calls are being made for the establishment of accommodation outside Cork's emergency hospitals in order to speed up the turnaround times of ambulances.
It comes as Cork hospitals were identified as having the worst ambulance turnaround times in the country.
The Lifeline Ambulance Service say ambulances are failing to meet the 30 minute target for off-loading a patient and getting back on the road and need more support when they reach a hospital emergency department.
The service are calling for temporary accommodation to be installed outside hospitals which are staffed by medical personnel so paramedics can hand over patients, clean their equipment and get back out on the road quickly.
Speaking to RedFM News David Hall from the Lifeline Ambulance Service says measures need to be taken to reduce pressure on the ambulance service.
"Some short term emergency measures could be taken, which is to maybe have a temporary holding area outside the emergency department where other trained staff could take handovers from the incoming paramedic staff ant the National Ambulance Service staff while waiting for the patient to be processed there, allowing for the ambulance to be released.
"Especially if there are other emergency cases requiring attention, then some type of holding area means patients could be dropped off in a much more efficient and faster way.
