Health chiefs in dark on staffing levels

HEALTH chiefs admitted yesterday that they don’t know how many people are employed in the €12 billion-a-year service.

TDs expressed alarm over the revelation as they probed the disastrous PPARS computer system that was intended to solve the payroll mystery, but instead will leave taxpayers with a €195 million bill.

Health Department secretary general Micheal Scanlan told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that not only did no one know what staff levels are, but he could not give a date for when it would become clear.