Fire brigade is owed €200k in call-out fees

Dublin Fire Brigade is owed more than €200,000 in unpaid call-out fees after less than one-third of those liable for the charge had paid up.

The €500 call-out charge was introduced last January and early indications suggested many people were ignoring it.

Figures from Dublin City Council’s accounts department show, as of Nov 26, the charge had been applied in 718 cases but had been paid just 220 times.

In 408 cases, the call-out fee remains unpaid.

The cases where the fee was paid brought in a total of €113,960, but €203,685 is outstanding in unpaid charges, with the local authority admitting that arrangements have been made to allow some people to pay by installments.

Clare Crosbie, a senior staff officer overseeing the issuing of charge notices, said 111 of the original cases invoiced were either fully or partly cancelled/credited, most were wrongly invoiced in the first place for reasons of incorrect information, such as council accommodation or because it involved charities, while some cases are currently being appealed.

There have already been 32 cases in which payment was successfully appealed on grounds of hardship and Ms Crosbie said: “Arrangements have been made in some cases to pay the charge in instalments which is proving attractive to the public.”

And she stressed outstanding fees would not be forgotten, stating: “The charges will continue to be applied.”

The latest figures do not represent the final amount taken for last year as the local authority expects that some payments will continue to come in relating to call-outs in 2012 and during December.

Dublin Fire Brigade, one of the busiest in the country, was one of the last brigades to introduce a call-out fee but has been charging a fee on commercial premises since 2003.

The introduction of the call-out charge met with criticism from some, including warnings from Dublin firefighters’ representatives in Siptu that it could cost lives, with people wary of being charged and thereby delaying calling the fire services.

Ms Crosbie said in some cases insurance companies may not have processed claims on call-out fees. Dublin City Council has insisted the outstanding fees will be collected.