Longford councillors debate calls to cut VAT on defibrillator devices

Cllr Paul Ross has called on Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe to remove VAT on AED Defibrillator Devices.

At last week’s meeting of Longford County Council, Cllr Ross said it was brought to his attention that his local football club were looking at “the guts of €2,000” and a VAT figure of 23%.

“Not only have we to buy it and pay a quarter of the price on VAT but there’s also training involved with this and that costs money. There’s maintenance of the machines, which don’t last forever, the replacement of batteries, which is quite expensive. You have to put in a storage facility and the pads have to be replaced.

“So I’m calling on the minister to look at removing the VAT on these essential devices to look at having them in every single community in the country.”

Cllr Martin Monaghan, who immediately seconded the motion, said it was a “fabulous idea”.

“It’s a medical device - this is a life-saving device. It’s life and death situations that people are using these, so they’re crucifying small, community groups and voluntary groups with the VAT on this so it should be abolished very, very quick.”

Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi also agreed with the motion, stating it’s something that should be exclusive of VAT because these devices are “critical to life”.

Meanwhile, Cllr Garry Murtagh is calling on the Minister of Business, Employment & Retail, Damien English for the consideration of a three-tier VAT rate.

“The proposal of this is to save small and rural business that have been family run institutions for generations, that are no longer financially viable to operate let alone for anyone to invest in or take over the running off,” he said.

“There needs to be serious investment/incentives for these businesses such as pubs, shops, etc, in small villages and rural areas in order to save these invaluable services that are the very fabric of rural Ireland.”

Cllr PJ Reilly seconded the motion who said local several businesses in Abbeylara have closed because of larger supermarkets causing smaller shops to struggle.

Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi agreet, stating that “we have a three-tier threshold for social housing, so why not for VAT?”

The motion received further support from other members of the council.