HSE spends €30m on consultancy firm fees

HEALTH chiefs who ordered cutbacks in services because of cost overruns have spent over €30 million paying consultants to show them how to improve the system.

Figures for the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) first two years in operation, 2005 and 2006, show that €29.2m was spent on more than 200 consultancy firms advising on a range of projects from one-off events to major infrastructural developments.

A massive €21.2m was spent in 2005 alone and a further €8m was paid out last year. The figure for this year is expected to match that of 2006 or be slightly less, adding about another €8m to the bill.