THE health service official given two non-tendered contracts worth almost €300,000 by a state group he chaired months before leaving the public sector has defended the cost, saying “some of it went on VAT”.

THE chairman of the state’s implementation body for health sector reform has received over €1 million in severance fees, non-tendered projects from former colleagues and other payouts since retiring from the health service.

THE HSE has wasted €1.7m on late payment of bills. Health service bosses handed over the money to suppliers after failing to settle accounts on time between 2005-2007.

THE Labour Court has told the Health Service Executive it is not entitled to claim back overpayments made to more than 100 nurses through the controversial Personal Payroll and Related Systems (PPARS).

Unless industry in Ireland embraces structured energy management techniques and converts to sustainable sources of energy supply, the economy will be less competitive, according to the Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).