The use of expensive private care arrangements for children in the care of the HSE is to be reviewed as the executive seeks to reduce costs in childcare services by 7% in 2012.

With €115 million less to spend in 2012 and down more than 4,500 staff from a peak five years ago, a series of cuts are set to further decimate health services in the south of the country.

THE hospital charity at the centre of a two-year health service investigation over its expenditure was set up without HSE consent.

A HOSPITAL charity, set up without HSE approval, gave non-tendered contracts worth €365,000 to a single company which resulted in donor-specific projects being left unfunded.