HSE refuses offers of aid for ailing A&E

AN offer by Ben Dunne and several businessmen to buy portakabins and equipment for overcrowded A&Es has been turned down by the Health Service Executive (HSE) on health and safety grounds.

Director of the National Hospital Office Pat McLoughlin told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health yesterday it was not possible to place temporary buildings in hospital grounds without getting planning and fire approval. He said he had asked hospitals to examine their existing facilities to see what improvements could be made and that much could be done this way to improve existing A&E facilities.

But callers to RTÉ's Liveline criticised the refusal and said three hi-tech units could easily fit in the 600-car parking space area at the hospital