Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 5 November 2019

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach

Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage

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

I hear what the Minister is saying. This section of the Bill aims to maintain the status quoafter the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, as does this amendment. The Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI do not have to pay 23% VAT. The Coast Guard is a private organisation which operates on behalf of the State. The RNLI fundraises significantly across both this country and the United Kingdom. Irish Community Rapid Response has to raise a substantial amount of money on an annual basis. It has put that model in place and has fulfilled a commitment in the programme for Government. It has signed a contract with a UK-registered company and everything is currently in order. This particular charity is facing a substantial penalty of €500,000 in fulfilling a programme for Government commitment purely because of the United Kingdom exiting the European Union. All I am looking for is the maintenance of the status quo. This organisation did not go about this process for any reason other than to provide a service and ensure we have a rapid emergency air ambulance service across this country, which takes huge pressure off our ground-based ambulance service. It ensures people are treated quicker and get to hospital quicker. It addresses many issues we had due to the closure of many smaller hospitals across the country, yet it now faces a penalty of an additional €500,000 because the United Kingdom has decided to leave the European Union. We need to find some way to address this particular challenge.

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