National Ambulance Service (NAS) managers have been told not to take their staff cars home after work until a benefit-in-kind disagreement has been settled, reports RTE.
The HSE verified the directive.
“The HSE must adhere to Revenue Commissioner regulations regarding what in this instance is the possible personal use of publicly owned vehicles,” the statement read. These guidelines apply to all HSE personnel, reports RTE.
It went on to say: “The HSE National Ambulance Service has determined that there are very few accidents that are attended to by car users outside of regular business hours.
“Response times carried out and reported on by the NAS through HSE service plan performance targets relate to emergency ambulances or vehicles capable of transporting patients only,” reports RTE.
The statement concluded: “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,” reports RTE.
The decision by the NAS to stop permitting senior staff to carry a car home after hours has been characterised as “reactionary and premature” by Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane.
He said: “Every effort must be made to find a resolution between senior management and the director of the NAS,” reports RTE.
Mr Cullinane added: “Senior officers dispute that the cars are being used for personal use. In fact, they assert that the real benefit of having a car at home is that they can respond to call outs if required. This decision may lead to senior officers no longer being in a position to rapidly respond to a call out of hours when required,” reports RTE.
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