"We are here to honour our own Irish Red Cross members from Limerick who have demonstrated their excellence at the most senior international competitive event, but I would call on everyone to consider learning First Aid. It’s not expensive and it could give you the power to save the life of someone you love," said Mr Lawlor, urging anyone who wants to do a first aid course to contact 1890 502 502 or to log onto www.RedCrossTraining.ie

The prizes were presented by the Minister for Defence, Willie O’Dea to top-lifesavers from Limerick who won the President’s Perpetual Trophy. The six-member team consisted of Team Leader, Aideen Shinners, Brighid Long, Philomena Grace, Lisa-Marie McNamara, Adrian Coffey and Ken Butler.

The Minister also launched three new Irish Red Cross ambulances which will serve people in Mallow, Co. Cork; Carlingford, Co. Louth and Tipperary Town.

And Irish Red Cross members from right across Ireland were also presented with special commemorative medals for their hard work when Ireland hosted the European Championships in First Aid in 2007.

Addressing all those present, Minister O’Dea praised the thousands of Irish Red Cross volunteers for their commitment to communities throughout the country through their network of 145 branches. He congratulated the Irish Red Cross members from Limerick in particular for their outstanding success both nationally and internationally.

Thanking the Minister, Tony Lawlor said "These new ambulances will be a great asset to the Irish Red Cross in Cork, Louth and Tipperary. We are very grateful to Minister O’Dea for his support for the Irish Red Cross which helps us to serve people right across Ireland."

The three new vehicles launched on Saturday are part of a multi-annual programme of renewal of older off-road ambulances by the Irish Red Cross.

This programme has seen a Euro 6.5m investment in the complete replacement of Irish Red Cross ambulances with the acquisition of new ambulances, off-road vehicles, mobile command and control units, and wheelchair-accessible buses, totalling some 90 vehicles. Mr Lawlor said that this marked a significant investment by the organisation which is made up of volunteers around the country and is part of the largest voluntary movement in the world, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement which has 97 million volunteers in 187 countries.

Notes for Editor

1. The Irish Red Cross has invested nearly Euro 6.5 million in upgrading and expanding its ambulance fleet since its renewal programme got underway around the country in 2002.
2. Some 90 vehicles including traditional ambulances, off-road ambulances, mobile command and control centres, minibuses and wheelchair-adaptable minibuses have been made available to communities throughout Ireland by the Irish Red Cross which is a voluntary organisation.
3. The investment programme was implemented to help meet the needs of the new national plan to deal with emergencies that arise – the Framework for Major Emergency Management - which recognises the role of the Irish Red Cross alongside the statutory emergency services and other bodies.The ambulance replacement programme will increase the ability of the Irish Red Cross to deal with new kinds of emergencies that require faster responses and the ability to reach more remote areas, by introducing – for the first time – mobile command and control units in addition to its traditional ambulances, minibuses, wheelchair-adapted minibuses and off-road vehicles.
4. The Irish Red Cross is the most widely recognised provider of First Aid training in Ireland.[1] Training can be arranged on www.RedCrossTraining.ie or by calling 1890 502 502.
5. The Irish Red Cross is a leading provider of immediate cardiac care and training through an extensive programme of defibrillator provision to every county in Ireland. Defibrillators are small electric devices that can shock a casualty in cardiac arrest.
6. The Irish Red Cross is a voluntary organisation of more than 4,000 members in 145 branches in every county in Ireland.
7. The Irish Red Cross is part of the largest voluntary organisation in the world, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement which has 97 million volunteers in 187 countries.
8. Through its founder and its own achievements, the Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement has won the Nobel Peace Prize more often than any other single entity – four times in total.
9. In 2009 both the Irish Red Cross and its international affiliates celebrates their founding anniversaries, with 70 years of the Red Cross in Ireland and 150 years of action to save lives worldwide.