HSE staff paid pensions while working

SERIOUS payroll errors at the HSE are allowing staff to work while officially on sick leave, receive pensions while still working, and be paid allowances for children who are far older than claimed.

An internal HSE investigation has found a series of mistakes that are damaging the health service’s already scant budget at a time when frontline services are repeatedly being cut.

Documents seen by the Irish Examiner indicate that, nationally, hundreds of thousands of euro were paid out in error between 2008 and 2009, although an exact figure is not available.