An agreement has been reached to form a new company for the new National Maternity Hospital.

Health Minister Simon Harris has said there is no “plan B” if a row over the new National Maternity Hospital is not resolved.

The war of words in the National Maternity Hospital row grew more entrenched over the weekend, as both sides accused the other of peddling mistruths.

A leading private hospital has been accused of having a “parasitic dependence” on a linked public facility after it emerged more than half of its consultants have been wrongly taken from the public wing.

St Vincent’s Hospital Group has created two chief executive posts in a bid to bring it into line with public pay policy.

IT’S GETTING so it’s difficult to keep up. Since Christmas, we’ve had to work hard to keep abreast of all the unfolding scandals, while simultaneously maintaining our healthy sense of national moral indignation.

St Vincent’s Hospital Group was legally advised by former justice minister Michael McDowell that salary top-ups for seven senior staff were compliant with government pay policy because the extra funding came from private sources.

The stand-off between a cystic fibrosis charity and a Cork hospital over the ringfencing of beds means work is yet to begin on building a ward which should be complete by now.

St Vincent’s Hospital Group has been accused of “cynical and scandalous” behaviour after waiting until last night to reveal its chief executive more than doubles his salary with privately funded top-ups.

Extraordinary steps taken to address a €60m pension deficit that exploded in the voluntary health sector in the last 24 months have been revealed.