HSE owes Dublin City Council €116.8m for DFB ambulance service

The Health Service Executive (HSE) owes Dublin City Council €116.8m for the ambulance service provided by Dublin Fire Brigade, it has emerged.

The information was provided by Dublin City Council in response to a question asked by Sinn Fein councillor Daithí Doolan.

“The total cost of the DFB emergency ambulance service in 2022, is expected to be just under €26m,” the council said.

“The City Council expects to receive €9.18m from the HSE towards the cost of the DFB emergency ambulance service in 2022.

“The annual funding deficit has increased from an estimated €9.14m in 2014 to €16.5m in 2022.

Taking the average of these two figures, then the arrears due over the 9-year period 2014 to 2022 is estimated at €116.8m.”

Doolan says the money could have been used to develop much-needed projects.

“At a time when City Council’s finances are over stretched it is unacceptable that a State agency is holding the council to ransom,” he says.

“The funding deficit has increased from €9.41m to €16.55m since 2014. This funding could be used for badly needed housing, community centres and recreational services.

“The responsibility for this fiasco lies squarely at the foot of the Government.

“Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly must release the money owed to Dublin City Council as a matter of urgency. ”