A proposed Road Traffic and Roads (Blood Bikes Exemption) (Amendment) Bill 2025 by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh would extend exemptions from road tolls and the right to use bus lanes, which currently apply to ambulances, to Blood Bide services.
For years, the provision of vital emergency healthcare in Ireland has relied, in part, on volunteers who operate rapid response motorbike-based courier services free of charge for healthcare facilities in the form of blood bike groups, according to the Sinn Féin TD.
“This work includes the transport of blood, platelets, medicinal samples, surgical instruments, human donor milk and other clinical products to hospitals, medical centres, nursing homes, general practitioners and other healthcare facilities and contexts.
Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh seeks to extend exemptions to blood bike services from road tolls and the right to use bus lanes, which currently applies to ambulances.
“However, at present, these volunteers face being penalised for fulfilling this lifesaving work, as they have to pay road tolls for transporting blood and other clinical essentials to where they are needed.
“Ambulances are exempt from road tolls and may also use bus lanes and other restricted traffic areas, under an exemption provided in existing road traffic legislation. My bill would expand the exemptions currently provided to ambulances to also apply to blood bikes.
This follows on from a previous bill which O’Snodaigh said he brought forward in 2017 to expand the exemption to sea and river rescue teams, including the Coast Guard, Civil Defence and the RNLI.
“It would put this state in line with international best practice, such as the exemption from road tax provided for blood bikes by the British Government. It’s a simple initiative to help volunteers continue to save lives, and I hope the government will support it to pass into law. This marks the fifth piece of legislation I’ve introduced in the first few months of this Dáil term to offer commonsense solutions to problems that can easily be solved if the government is willing to act.”
