Ministers ‘speeded up’ local hospital upgrades

Ministers were accused of using the HSE capital budget as a “slush fund for electoral gain” after it emerged Health Minister James Reilly requested the speeding up of upgrades to the local hospitals of two cabinet colleagues.

Documents released to RTÉ under the Freedom of Information Act show Dr Reilly requested changes to the capital plan to “accelerate” planned improvements to the A&E departments in Wexford General Hospital and St Luke’s in Kilkenny.

Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin and Environment Minister Phil Hogan announced the commencement of work on their local hospitals in June 2011, days before a HSE board meeting on Jun 9 at which the ministerial announcements were queried.