HSE reveals budget overspend of €170m

THE HSE has overspent its budget by €170 million to the end of May and claims it will now have to freeze all but the most critical vacancies to deal with the escalating pay costs.

The revelation comes in the executive’s latest monthly performance report, which also shows that the Mid West Regional Hospital in Limerick is over budget by €14m so far this year.

Other hospitals have also overspent, including University College Hospital Galway (€8.6m), Tallaght Hospital (€7.5m), Cork University Hospital (€7.1m), St Vincent’s (€6.2m), Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda (€5.6m), Beaumont Hospital (€5.3m) and Waterford Regional Hospital (€5.3m).