Ireland Air Ambulance (Ltd) ceases trading

The company Ireland Air Ambulance is to cease trading immediately with the intent to wind up all operations without any further liabilities.

The company, whose directors were eight Northern Ireland business and community representatives, was established to take over in 2010, the aims of a chartable association carrying the same name.  The previous association had been in place for more than three years raising funds to establish a helicopter emergency medical service, however its activities had come under intense scrutiny of the BBC in 2009, with various on-going comments in other printed and on-line media.

The new company’s objective was to stabilise the position and form an organisation to take the same ambition forward.  All the previous trustees and senior employees stood down.  The new company appointed auditors and with the necessary professional advice, spent 2010 re-establishing the charity infrastructure, and communicating with relevant stakeholders. However it has recognized that without the support of key stakeholders, and with continued media and public speculation about the activities of the previous association, and in the best interests of the ongoing project, there should be no further activity by the company.

At the same time the company welcomes the Northern Ireland Heath and Social Care (HSC) board’s decision to commission a study to examine the provision of an emergency helicopter service and believes that such a service needs to be established by a charitable clinical service provider that can gain full stakeholder and public confidence plus financial support.

Bill Megraw, Interim Chief Executive said: “The new board and a small number of paid employees have worked tirelessly to turn around the situation, however have accepted that they are no longer in a position to do so at this time.

“Our main aim is to ensure that the charity is wound up without any debts and to further ensure that when the HSC report is produced it will enable the project to move forward, as the main issue is that the people of Northern Ireland are not able to access such an emergency service unlike citizens in other neighboring countries.

-Ends-

Ireland Air Ambulance (IAA – company number NI074051) is an incorporated company limited by guarantee that commenced operations in April 2010, governed by eight board members also acting as trustees.  The trustees are non-executive and not remunerated for undertaking that role.  IAA is recognised as a charity by the HM Revenue and Customs registration number XR98095.

The company replaced an association, Ireland Air Ambulance (IAA) also previously known by the name Alpha 5 which determined to cease trading under a legal process of dissolution with the three existing trustees standing down.

The board of directors of IAA (Ltd) secured independent accounting and legal advice and specialist business support and has taken into consideration all professional advice in reaching its decision.

For additional information contact –

The Directors – Ireland Air Ambulance (Ltd), c/o Bill Megraw

c/o Townsend Enterprise ParkŸ Townsend Street Ÿ Belfast Ÿ BT13 2ES admin@irelandairambulance.com

Tel 07950 773046

Web https://irelandairambulance.wordpress.com/

Company Registration No: NI074051