The chief executive of one of the country’s biggest hospitals — Cork University Hospital — has confirmed it will be "a couple of months" before new equipment is installed to replace its laboratory IT system server which crashed on five occasions this year.

GPs are demanding answers as to why they have been unable to send their patients’ blood samples for testing following a major IT failure at one of the country’s biggest hospitals last month.

The HSE made nearly €3m from parking charges at Cork University Hospital last year, but still does not have adequate spaces on campus — which is causing problems in adjoining residential areas.

MEMBERS of the HSE South Health Forum have criticised the decision to exclude the media from yesterday’s discussion of the HSE’s “cost containment measures”.