Lifeline for ambulance service as profits return

High-profile mortgage debt campaigner David Hall has shared a pot of almost €800,000 in pay and rent from his private ambulance firm over the past two years.

New accounts filed by Hall’s Lifeline Ambulance Service Ltd show it was back in the black last year, recording profits of €126,743 following losses of €140,522 in 2012 — a positive swing of €267,265.

This followed the Leixlip-headquartered firm increasing its gross profit by more than €440,000, or 10%, to €4.9m in the 12 months to the end of June 2013.

The filings show that last year, Mr Hall shared directors’ remuneration of €242,965 with his wife, Susan Wiseman Hall, while he received an additional €122,625 in rent from the firm.

This followed the two sharing a pay-pot of €305,965 in 2012, including pension contributions of €68,000. During that year, Mr Hall received rent payments of €122,625.

The total over the two years between pay, pension, and rent comes to €794,180.

A former paramedic, Mr Hall established Lifeline in 1998; today, it is the largest private ambulance operator in Ireland.

The profit last year takes account of non-cash depreciation costs of €391,263.

A note attached to the accounts states that the HSE continues to reduce its use of private ambulance companies.

The directors state: “The nature of the service and the requirements of industry has changed, which is now reducing the demand for its service while incurring costs due to changes happening in the industry. The company is now incurring restructuring costs in 2013/14 to meet these changes.”

In May, Mr Hall unsuccessfully contested the Dublin West by-election as an independent and confirmed in October that he has held separate meetings with Independent TDs Lucinda Creighton and Stephen Donnelly about setting up new parties, but expressed frustration at a lack of progress.

Mr Hall’s firm’s accumulated profits at the end of June 2013 totalled €571,840, with its cash increasing from €341,653 to €353,819.

Mr Hall is best known as the founder of the Irish Mortgage Holders’ Organisation, an advocacy group for distressed borrowers.

He came to prominence as a co-founder of New Beginning, a mortgage advice organisation.