The head of Dublin city council has hit out at the HSE for not properly funding the capital's ambulance service.
The local authority says it's owed almost €117 million.
The cost of running Dublin fire brigade's emergency ambulance service has increased from €18.5 million in 2013 to €28 million this year according to Dublin city council's chief executive.
But Owen Keegan, in an update to councillors on its budget for next year, says the HSE has continued to pay just €9.1 million a year leaving the service underfunded.
He says the ambulance service is facing major challenges and will need significant additional funding over the coming years.
The council recently claimed it's owed €116.8 million from the health service, including €16.5 million this year.
Owen Keegan says last year the HSE initially agreed to implement the recommendations of a mediation process, which covered emergency ambulance ‘call taking and dispatch’ in the Dublin region and the funding issues between the City Council and the health service but says "the HSE subsequently withdrew its agreement."
He says the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage has indicated it will make €8 million available toward the cost of the DFB emergency ambulance service in 2022 but there's no commitment to maintain this next year.
