Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, HIQA published a report based on the defibrillator Bill that was allowed to be initiated in the House last year. Following the publication of the Bill, the Minister said he wanted information and asked HIQA to report on it. The Bill was handled in this House, and we need to discuss it because the Minister said he would make decisions based on it sometime in the next few weeks. We should discuss the HIQA report on defibrillators. It is essential and worth doing. Some aspects of it need attention, one of which cropped up yesterday in a discussion. The tax on betting is either 1% or 2%, but the tax on defibrillators - that is, VAT - is 23%. That is unacceptable. We have drawn the attention of the Minister to that and he said he would see what we could do about it in Europe, because it is a matter controlled by Europe. The same applies to another Bill passed in this House, which relates to compulsory carbon monoxide detectors in houses. Such detectors also attract a VAT rate of 23%, while the betting tax is 1% or 2%. These are the sorts of thing we should discuss. Senator Sean Barrett says that too many of us are looking for budgetary changes, but this is something that is being handled by Europe and we are told we do not have the freedom to do anything without going back to Europe. The Minister should go back to Europe and argue the case, because he will find support around Europe. The VAT rate on defibrillators and carbon monoxide detectors does not seem correct when lives are at stake.