The cost of calling out emergency services to a road accident can vary by over €700 from county to county, according to a survey by Motors. If a fire engine is called out to one of the 24,000 road collisions that happen each year, it can cost those involved anything from €152 to €776.04 for just one hour of attention.
Fees can be doubled if two fire vehicles are involved - it's policy in some areas to send at least two vehicles.
The most expensive fire service for night and weekend calls is Kerry, while cheapest is Waterford City. Most expensive for a daytime call out is Louth.
Again, Waterford City is cheapest. Fire services in Dublin City and county, Cork City and county, Limerick county, Kildare, Clare and Longford levy no charge for attending road incidents.
As a general policy, no charge is made in a fatal accident. In multiple vehicle accidents, the charge is divided among the owners.
City-based services which charge, usually apply a flat "per unit" fee. In most other cases where there is a charge, it is related to the hourly pay rates of crew members and the number on the vehicle called out.
Outside cities, most services are manned by part-time "retained" members who are on call for emergencies. These are mostly paid at the "drill rate" of €17.12 an hour, but during daytime the first hour of a call-out is paid at twice this rate. From 10pm-7am and at weekends and bank holidays, the basic rate is multiplied by four for the first hour and by two for any subsequent hour.
Some authorities add a percentage to the wages element for "administration" and "overhead" - this can add substantially to the cost and is a key element in the variations of charges by county.
Regulations normally demand at least five officers per tender, but it can be up to 15. A reported average is eight - this is the number used in compiling our table.
However, flat rates per fire vehicle are charged by Offaly, Mayo, Limerick City, Galway, Tipperary South, Westmeath, and Waterford City and County services.
Louth charges €12.60 per minute, while Meath's fee is based on €4.98 a minute, with a minimum of half an hour and no extra charge for night or weekend. Offaly increases its flat charge by 73 per cent for nights and weekends work.
An extra 33 per cent is added by Wicklow and Laois for administration and overhead and 30 per cent by Donegal, while Wexford and Roscommon add a 25 per cent surcharge, Cavan 10 per cent and Sligo a "nominal" addition.
In general, chief fire officers are not in favour of charging for fire and accident services, believing that charges might mean they wouldn't be called and lives put at further risk. However, fees are charged under the orders of various county managers who interpret Government policy, that local services should be paid for, to include fire personnel attendance at accidents.
Charges have been in place in some cases as far back as 1992. Other services who used to charge have now ceased to do so.
There is no statutory requirement for the fire service to attend a road incident unless a fire is involved, or there is danger of fire.
"Our involvement has come through custom and practice," said one chief fire officer. "Initially we used to be called because we had equipment for breaking into houses, and later we acquired cutting gear and we will be called if it's necessary to extract victims from wrecks. But there is nothing in the 1981 Act requiring us to go to a road accident."
Such charges may or may not be part of a driver's policy. Insurers suggest that policyholders check with their provider.