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Donegal services "cut right, left
and centre"
01.08.12
A DONEGAL senator has
called on Health Minister James Reilly to explain
how he can justify a HSE taxi bill of over €28
million last year, "while axing a bus for Donegal
patients that cost less than €100,000".
In reply to questions from Fianna Fáil, the HSE
confirmed a 10% increase in taxi costs in 2011. The
bill for staff taxis alone was €357,334 while taxis
for patients cost over €27.6 million.
Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill said he is "appalled at
the exorbitant figure".
“How can the Health Minister justify multi-million
euro taxi bills at a time when frontline services
for patients in Donegal are being cut right, left
and centre?", he said.
“Just last week, Minister Reilly axed the bus
service that has been taking Donegal patients to
Dublin hospitals for more than three decades. This
cost less than €100,000 a year and provided an
invaluable service to patients who need specialised
treatment in Dublin. Now instead transporting
patients together by bus, the HSE faces forking out
even more for taxis. It makes absolutely no sense.
“Patients in Donegal have already suffered as a
result of severe cutbacks this year. The Health
Minister has embarked on a slash and burn of
community hospitals beds; he is closing hospital
wards; he is scaling backing community hospital
services and disability services.
"Once again Donegal has been hit with a
disproportionate level of these cutbacks. Patients
here will be furious to learn that all of this is
happening while the HSE is riddled with wasted
spending.
“It is time for the Government to get its own house
in order and eliminate wastage within the HSE
instead of continually turning to patients first and
expecting them to bear the brunt of savage cuts.” |
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