PPARS over-spend - Wastes of public funds a disgrace

The latest example of the obscene over-spend by the Department of Health could go some way towards explaining why Ireland spends €11 billion on a health service which is exceptionally bad value.

Coming in the wake of the annual report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, which pointed to a huge waste of public money across Government departments and agencies, the €150 million spend on a computer system which cannot perform what is needed, consolidates the public perception that financial incompetence is endemic throughout the Government.

The saga of the €150m system, which in 1998 was supposed to cost only €9m spans three health ministers Brian Cowen, Micheál Martin and Mary Harney. None of them will be resigning, and it would appear that nobody else will.