Varadkar says St Vincent's management should have appeared before Health Committee

The Health Minister has said that management of St Vincent's Hospital should have appeared before the Oireachtas Health Committee.

Hi statements come after a Prime Time investigation into Eurosurgical alleged that staff at St Vincents and the Beacon accepted gifts and holidays from the medical supplier in return for commercially-sensitive information.

St Vincent's has said that it will not be taking part in Dáil hearings while its own international probe is underway.

Minister Leo Varadkar has said that the hospital's management should have given evidence to the Committee.

"I think it would have been better if they had been there, I understand the Beacon were there, and the HSE were there too," said the Minister.

"I think it's important now that it's fully investigated. Any kind of suggestions of receiving back-hand payments, or any form of corruption is obviously entirely unacceptable anywhere, not just in our health service."