€27m to upgrade hospital, which had ‘no patients’

The HSE has spent more than €27m on refurbishing a hospital that had “no patients” in the building when TDs visited unexpectedly last year — €7m more than initially planned.

The significant overspend was highlighted by the Dáil’s public accounts committee yesterday, leading to opposition claims that the money should have been re-routed to other more pressing areas.

Speaking during a committee meeting, Labour health spokesman Alan Kelly said the issue related to Our Lady’s Hospital in Cashel, Co Tipperary.

While the facility was previously a hospital, it is now used as a day service and does not treat inpatients.

Responding to a letter to the committee from constituency rival and Independent TD Mattie McGrath highlighting the same controversy, Mr Kelly said the building’s refurbishment was meant to cost €20m but that €27m was spent.

Hitting out at the inability to keep within budget, Mr Kelly said when he visited the facility with Health Minister Simon Harris last year “there wasn’t one single patient in the building”.

“This is a unique moment where I agree with Deputy McGrath from Co Tipperary. It’s probably a first,” said Mr Kelly.

“This is an incredible story which goes back the guts of 20 years in relation to agreements that there will be a new role for this hospital. I visited this hospital with the minister for health. There wasn’t one single patient in the building.

“So it’s not just a case of where did the €7m go. It’s a case of what is it being used for or what will it potentially be used for while South Tipperary General Hospital, which we all know, is one of the biggest overcrowding situations in Ireland.”

The comment was backed by Sinn Féin deputy leader and fellow PAC member, Mary Lou McDonald, who said “there is a strong argument for just calling the HSE in fairly promptly” to explain what has happened.

A HSE spokesperson told the Irish Examiner that while the facility is still known locally as Our Lady’s Hospital in Cashel, it is in effect now a stepdown facility which does not cater for inpatients.

In a statement last night, the HSE claimed the overspend was lower than suggested and defended the refurbishment measures.

PAC chairman and Fianna Fáil TD, Seán Fleming, said he would write to the HSE seeking “a full explanation of this overspend”.