Hep C support group spent €13k on pamper weekend

A hepatitis C support group whose funding has been pulled spent almost €13,000 of public funds on a pampering and relaxation weekend despite being instructed not to do so, according to the Health Service Executive.

Positive Action, which is holding an extraordinary general meeting today, was formally notified this week that the HSE is no longer prepared to fund the group because of serious concerns about “inappropriate and extravagant” use of public funds.

The group had two visa cards for corporate expenses with spending limits of €8,000 and €10,000, but correspondence seen by the Irish Examiner indicates the HSE was unaware of the existence of a second card until last July.

Over €20,000 in expenses was racked up between December 6, 2012, and July 1, 2013, according to the group’s visa bill statements.

The statements show considerable outlay on restaurants and hotels, including, at the end of February 2013, during a weekend in Cork;

* Over €7,000 on accommodation at the River Lee Hotel;

* Approximately €700 on dining in The Cornstore, a restaurant on the Coal Quay in Cork City centre;

* Approximately €700 in the Soho Bar and Restaurant on the Grand Parade;

* €180 in Riordan’s bar and nightclub on Washington St.

In addition to the weekend in Cork, the cards were used to pay bills at, inter alia: Clontarf Castle (€1,188); The Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin (€962); La Stampa Hotel Dublin (€450); South Court Hotel, Limerick (€200); Westport Plaza (€652.15); Ely HQ bistro in Dublin (€219.80); Frankie’s Steakhouse (€163); and the Orchid Restaurant in Dublin (€140). Asian takeaway Mao at Home on Baggot St, Dublin, features regularly in the statements.

The HSE wrote to Positive Action saying it was “of the view that only essential office refreshments should be provided for staff/visitors/committee and that takeaway meals to the office and catering do not represent best use of public funds”.

The HSE also said it was “of the view that meetings (general or otherwise) should not include meals/ overnight accommodation where possible and should be limited to providing light refreshments rather than meals in restaurants etc”.

Documents seen by the Irish Examiner show the group spent €12,847.65 on a pampering weekend at Athlone Springs Hotel in February 2012. This was at a time when the HSE said it had “formally requested that no expenditure on discretionary items be incurred”.

In fact, the HSE said it had written to the group instructing it “not to proceed with a pampering/relaxation weekend”.

Positive Action wrote back saying the Athlone weekend was funded from their 2011 budget “and thereby did not come within the restriction on discretionary spending”.

Positive Action, which represents approximately 730 women given contaminated blood products by the State, is due to hold an EGM in Dublin today where members are likely to vote on its future. It was set up 20 years ago as a support group for women who contracted hepatitis C after receiving contaminated anti D human immunogloblin from the Blood Transfusion Service Board. More than 1,000 women were infected.

A Garda investigation got under way last September following a complaint by a member of the group. A number of people have been interviewed and the investigation is ongoing.

Between 2006 and 2011 the group received, on average, €600,000 per annum from the HSE.

The chair of the group’s executive committee did not return calls to this newspaper yesterday.