A Donegal TD has called on the government to change the law to make emergency response vehicle drivers exempt from paying Benefit in Kind (BIK).
Deputy Charles Ward was speaking after fears have been raised over a new rule banning paramedics from bringing their transport home overnight.
Previously, paramedics kept their emergency vehicles at home when they were off-duty, so that, in the event of an emergency call, they could immediately make their way to a patient.
However, the Revenue Commissioner has declared that staff bringing work vehicles home is considered a Benefit-in-Kind (BIK), forcing the HSE to enforce a rule on all employees.
The rule, implemented last week, now requires paramedics to drive to a centrally located depot to pick up their vehicles before responding to emergency calls.
For paramedics in rural areas, the rule adds lengthy commutes at critical times.
However, Deputy Ward has called on the Minister for Finance to amend the Finance Act so as to exempt such drivers from having to pay BIK.
He described as ‘crazy’ the recent decision by Revenue to tax health workers who may use emergency vehicles out-of-hours.
“In Donegal it is reported that seven such drivers may be affected,” Deputy Ward said.
“The health benefit to the community of having the ambulance and its driver present in a rural community is priceless, having to wait for an ambulance from Letterkenny or another location in the county could cost lives.”
Deputy Ward said it was ‘ironic’ that if an employee was given a work van by his employer and it was taken home at night and not used for personal or private use, that employee is exempt from paying BIK.
“Yet, the Revenue Commissioners have decided to apply a tax on emergency response drivers
for providing a health service in their local community. What a farcical situation to have, particularly when the government should be encouraging more health services to be provided as locally as possible.”
A statement from the HSE said: “As a public body, the HSE cannot support the use of publicly owned emergency vehicles for purposes that the Revenue Commissioner considers potential personal use or benefit.”
