Sinn Féin TD and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), John Brady, has announced that the HSE will be called before the committee to account for what he described as an ‘outrageous’ expenditure of €127,000 on a bike shed at Kerry Hospital.
Speaking ahead of a PAC meeting on Thursday, Deputy Brady said:
“Almost two years ago, there was widespread public outrage after the Government spent €335,000 on a bike shed at Leinster House.
“Now we learn that over €127,000 has been spent on another bike shed, this time at Kerry Hospital.
“€127,385 for 40 bike spaces, a cost of more than €3,184 per space.
“This is yet another outrageous waste of public money, and it is clear that no lessons have been learned.
“What is even more galling is that the HSE selected the most expensive option after reviewing a number of proposals.
“One alternative, costing just €6,920, would have delivered the same number of spaces.
“Instead, the HSE opted to embark on yet another vanity project.
“More evidence of scant regard for public money.
“This is totally unacceptable and there is no way that this could represent value for money.
“This situation is completely unacceptable, and it won’t be lost on the public that this comes at a time when the HSE has announced a recruitment freeze due to financial pressures and overspending.
“The PAC will be calling the HSE before the committee to provide a full account of this expenditure.
“This also raises serious questions for the Minister for Health, who cannot remain silent while such spending decisions are being made.
“While the Minister tells hospitals that they cannot recruit much needed staff, money is whittled away on unnecessarily expensive projects like this.
“The Minister must take charge. This cannot be allowed to continue.”
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