The environment special policy committee of Westmeath County Council will next year look into charging insured homeowners for chimney fire call-outs, it was revealed at this month’s meeting.
Fine Gael councillor Mark Cooney says those who have insurance should pay, through their insurance company, the full economic cost of a fire brigade call-out.
There were 148 chimney fires in Westmeath last year.
The council charges €150 for a fire service call-out following a chimney fire and this is up on the 2010 charge of €100, but will not change in 2012.
Acting head of finance Jimmy Dalton said the actual cost to the council “would be many multiples of €150”.
He said the council “has taken a more proactive and strict approach” to chasing down these payments from people who call out the fire service, but he said there is a waiver of up to 50 per cent for the unwaged and older people who may have difficulty in paying the fee.
He was responding to a question from Cllr Mark Cooney who wanted to know if the council charge reflects the actual cost and if it was possible for people affected by chimney fires to pay costs through their insurance.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Cooney said that where insurance is in place, it’s appropriate that homeowners meet the full cost to the council.
“The cost of dealing with chimney fires far exceeds the cost to the homeowner,” he said, and added that he will be raising the issue at the environment policy committee, and will advocate a hardship scheme for those who are uninsured.
He says the cost of a call-out is regularly billed to and paid for by insurance companies and this should not be a cost that the council has to unnecessarily bear.
