Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 8:

In page 22, between lines 37 and 38, to insert the following: “(2) For the purpose of clarity such provisions will also apply to businesses with charitable 2 status providing emergency medical services in the State but registered in the UK, which shall be required to re-register in the State following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.”.

We discussed the matter to which this amendment relates at length on Committee Stage. The issue has moved on since then but, in a nutshell, the Irish Community Rapid Response charity runs the second air ambulance service based in County Cork. The Minister will be aware that over the weekend we heard that the Irish Community Rapid Response's spare helicopter, which is based in a hangar in Cork, will now be relocated to the midlands to provide cover for the Defence Forces and the Air Corps when the latter's helicopter is taken out of service in order to facilitate the training of staff.

A difficulty arises whereby Irish Community Rapid Response purchased its helicopter service from a UK registered company. That is all well and good at the moment because it is currently exempt from the charging of VAT in respect of that service. If Brexit happens and the company has to re-register in Ireland, then it will be obliged to raise an additional €2 million per annum to provide the air ambulance service in the southern part of the island, which, as the Minister will be aware, fulfils a commitment that was set out in the programme for Government and which now also provides support to the Air Corps in the midlands region.

The air ambulance service has been a vital service in supporting the national ambulance service across the State. The operation in Cork has conducted 50 missions a month on average, which is a significant number of missions, since it commenced operation in Cork. All I am looking for is that the status quowould remain post Brexit and that this charity would not be put in a position where it has to pay an additional bill of €2 million for VAT as a result of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union.

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