Labour questions hospital tax breaks

THE Labour Party has called on the Government to present a clear picture of the public benefits of tax breaks for new private hospitals.

The party’s finance spokesperson, Joan Burton, raised the issue as it emerged that a patient due to undergo surgery at a private hospital under the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) was turned away this week because the funding had not been agreed. The fund has treated around 12,000 patients this year but more procedures are to be done in private hospitals because of fears that too many public beds are being used.

The Government approved tax breaks for developing new private hospitals three years ago. Health Minister Mary Harney announced in July that such facilities could be built on the grounds of public hospitals to free up 1,000 public health service beds.