Taxpayer foots €13m car park bill

THE taxpayer has had to foot a €13 million bill because of a car park deal at Dublin’s Beaumont hospital.

The Department of Health and the management of Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital were severely criticised yesterday for its failure to manage the scheme, resulting in a €13m loss.

The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday heard that instead of raising additional funds for Beaumont Hospital a car park, completed in 1999 as a joint venture with private company, Howard Holdings, has cost the hospital €50,000 for every car space built.