On average it took ambulances 30 minutes to arrive at such calls from January to June this year
Sinn Fein released the figures obtained from the National Ambulance Service following a recent parliamentary question
Paramedics are unsurprised by the figures as they say the lack of personnel across Cork in the service means they are often covering huge geographical distances
However while there is an urgent need for more ambulance staff - poor pay and conditions in the Service are turning potential employees off
Speaking to RedFM News Brendan Flynn from the National Ambulance Service Representative Association says the service is trying to hire more staff
"The ambulance service is actively recruiting, and obviously we're in competition with private industry or other arms of the health service, the ambulance service isn't in a position to offer bonuses, you're working 24/7 You do work bank holidays you do work nights, and you do do Saturdays and Sundays, and there are jobs in the private service and in the wider Health Service, which pay more than the ambulance services paying, they don't have to work those hours"
