Hundreds of ambulance service personnel have voted in favour of industrial action in an ongoing dispute with the HSE.

The National Ambulance Service Representative Association (NASRA) said its members “voted overwhelmingly” to back the move in a dispute over representation rights and the deduction of union subscriptions from payroll.

The dispute centres around the HSE’s refusal to recognise NASRA - an affiliate of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) that was established in 2010.

The health service has warned that the PNA does not holding negotiating rights for ambulance grades – and as a result, is refusing to automatically deduct NASRA membership fees from payroll and forward them on to the union.

Around 500 Emergency Medical Technicians are NASRA members.

NASRA originally balloted for industrial action in early July – but postponed the move after the HSE threatened to seek an injunction to prevent all industrial action by the union.

This evening, the union said its members had voted by 98% in favour of industrial action.

It said it was still deciding on the scope and timing of the action – however it will be writing to the HSE in the coming days.