The number of hoax calls being made to the ambulance service has risen by 660% over the past six years.

Figures released by the Health Service Executive (HSE) have been described by one Fine Gael TD as 'astronomical' and 'an epidemic'.

4,329 hoax calls were recorded last year compared to 655 in 2007.

Mayo Deputy John O'Mahony says in some instances the people behind these hoax calls may hang up once they are asked for further details.

But in others - he says - emergency services are being dispatched unnecessarily to attend crises which have been fabricated by people "with nothing better to do with their time".

He is calling for proper penalties to be put in place to ensure that people who are engaged in this practice are held to account.

He also wants to see that they are named and shamed.

Mr. O'Mahony says the calls are a grotesque waste of our emergency responders' time. He believes some pranksters do not realise their jokes could cost lives.