‘I won’t work alone with certain colleagues’: Female paramedics break silence on 'toxic' culture

FOR YEARS, THE National Ambulance Service (NAS) has been a lifeline, with its paramedics the first to respond in times of crisis.

But beneath the surface, staff say a toxic culture has festered.

Today, The Journal Investigates can reveal that there has been a sharp rise in complaints alleging inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment within the service.

Some are so serious, gardaí are currently investigating at least two of those complaints, separately made by women employees.

Figures uncovered by The Journal Investigates show that in the last five years alone, 85 complaints surrounding bullying, inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment raised with NAS management.

Due to data protection and privacy issues, the HSE did not provide a detailed breakdown of these issues.

Of those, less than 40% were subject to a formal investigation, according to NAS internal data revealed under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

Even less resulted in disciplinary action. Between 2020 and May 2025, 10 complaints reached varying levels of disciplinary hearings, with the outcomes unknown.

A total of 20 complaints were made by NAS staff in 2024 alone, the highest annual number recorded since 2020.

While the figures aren’t broken down by gender, The Journal Investigates was contacted by multiple female paramedics who say they feel there is an “unsafe culture” within the service.

According to leading union representatives, many women in the service are also reluctant to raise complaints.

The National Ambulance Representative Association (NASRA), is calling for an independent investigation. Brendan Flynn, chairman of NASRA, told us:

Without a doubt, these figures are just the tip of the iceberg, many complaints don’t even reach management.

In a statement, the HSE, which oversees NAS, said that “protecting the safety of employees and service users is a priority concern” and that sanctions, up to and including dismissal, are imposed where wrongdoing is established.