State bodies such as the Health Service Executive (HSE) see Dublin City Council as “the excrement on their shoes” to “boss and bully” in relation to funding, a Fine Gael city councillor has said.
Cllr Ray McAdam was speaking following the presentation of the city’s 2025 budget of €1.48 billion, an increase of about €140 million on this year and the highest ever cost to run the city.
Councillors and chief executive Richard Shakespeare have complained the council is facing significant shortfalls in funding in several areas, including from the HSE for the Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance service.
On Monday night Mr Shakespeare told councillors the cost of providing running 14 ambulances in Dublin was about €28 million. “We get approximately €9 million from the HSE, leaving a shortfall across the four Dublin local authorities of €19 million, about €10 million of which is ours.”
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Mr Shakespeare said he had engaged “quite extensively over the last two or three months” with the HSE and the Department of Health, but despite the intervention of Minister for Housing and Local Government Darragh O’Brien a “derisory” sum was offered.
“I am not even going to tell you the derisory offer that was made, but needless to say my second word was ‘... off’, and we’re now at a bit of an impasse.”
The HSE had “completely disrespected the competence of and professionalism of Dublin Fire Brigade and their paramedics,” Mr Shakespeare said.
Councillors suggested Mr Shakespeare might take legal action against the HSE.
“Because there is no contract between ourselves and the HSE I don’t think the courts are open to us. The only other drastic action is to remove 14 ambulances from the system in Dublin. That causes all manner of issues in relation to patient safety.”
Cllr McAdam said the budget provided a “clearer picture of how the permanent government and the Civil Service see local authorities like Dublin City Council. Effectively they see us as excrement on their shoes”.
“That is seen no clearer than in the approach of the HSE and the Department of Health senior officials in their failure to engage meaningfully in the shortfall ... over Dublin Fire Brigade financial contributions.”
The HSE said it was not in a position to respond to Mr Shakespeare’s comments on Monday night, but said it makes a financial contribution annually to the council for the ambulance service. “There is no SLA [service level agreement] in place between the HSE and DCC to vary the amount of the contribution made or accede to, agree with or accept any alternative operational or costing model.”
Councillors ratified the 2025 budget, which included a 1.8 per cent increase in the commercial rates multiplier. This means a business paying €10,000 in 2024 will pay €10,181 in 2025.
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