Health Minister James Reilly faces questions over funding autism services in his Dublin political heartland amid claims that other parts of the country have been left “in limbo” awaiting resources.

One taxi firm was paid more than €1.8m by the HSE last year, as the overall spend by the health authority on taxi services totalled €24.8m.

A national charity for men who are victims of domestic abuse has experienced a 33% increase in the number of calls received to its helpline in the first six months of this year.

A new HSE review of its child and family services shows the Tipperary South area had the highest level of child neglect in the country although Dublin South East had the highest percentage of sexual abuse.

One of the country’s busiest children’s hospitals has been ordered to cut its surgical theatre procedures by one quarter — despite facing €25,000 fines for every month a patient is on a long-term waiting list for these same procedures.

The HSE West is set to see its budget cut by €104m, have nurses account for 70% of all regional retirees this month and witness as many as 132 long-term care beds axed, in a bid to cut costs.

PUBLIC hospitals are owed almost €200 million in unpaid private patient charges, inpatient levies and other costs over the past year as a direct result of insurance coverage delays.

THE country’s child welfare system is in dire need of an overhaul, Barnardos said yesterday on the back of new information regarding injuries sustained by children in care.

A PALESTINIAN doctor working in Ireland has admitted that he lied about his medical experience to secure a job with the Health Service Executive.

THE Health Service Executive has been ordered to pay €25,000 compensation to a staff member after it refused to extend her contract beyond the normal retirement age of 65.

The Impact union has said its members will provide essential emergency cover as its work-to-rule extends to the HSE in the west of the country.

THERE were 329,706 days of work lost to the economy in 2009 due to industrial disputes involving 278,228 workers, new figures show.

HEALTH worker members of IMPACT trade union will this morning stop answering phone calls from members of the public as part of the escalation of their campaign against budget pay cuts imposed on the public sector.

FEARS were raised of the possibility of further massive job losses last night when an aircraft maintenance firm which employs more than 1,200 people in Ireland confirmed it had lost a big contract.

Representatives of the IMPACT trade union are meeting senior HSE officials today to discuss ongoing industrial action in the health service.

Health chiefs and the trade union Impact are expected to hold talks next week over a row about an alleged recruitment freeze.

THE Health Service Executive has denied its recruitment ban is preventing Leinster couples from getting married away from traditional sites.

Caroline O’Doherty reviews the National Cancer Control Strategy, which provides the opportunity to see whether specialist centres are the best means to survival.