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James Horan/Photocall Ireland

HSE spent nearly €200m on taxis and private ambulances in five years

The HSE spent almost €2 million staff taxis alone between 2008 and 2010 – but has defended this, saying this was a “cost-effective solution”.

THE HSE SPENT almost €200 million on taxis and private ambulance services over a five-year period – with almost €2 million being spent on taxis for HSE staff in just two years.

Some €190.3 million was spent on taxis and private ambulance services between 2005 and 2010, with €164.36 million going on patient taxis and €24.1 million going on private ambulances, reports Medical Independent. The HSE could not provide the cost of staff taxis between the years 2005 to 2007; however between 2008 and 2010 €1.86 million was spent on taxis for HSE staff.

The HSE said that “staff taxi” cases can include incidents when staff accompanied a patient or a client to an appointment. The HSE defended its use of taxis by saying: “The use of taxis for patient transport represents a more cost-effective solution when compared to investment in a fleet of HSE-owned vehicles for this purpose. Additional costs relating to this would include the provision of 24/7 staffing, maintenance, fuel, insurance and tax.”

Read more by Priscilla Lynch in Medical Independent >

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13 Comments
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    Mute Itiswhatitis
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 9:13 AM

    Any chance of luring all Taliban into one place and nuking them.

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    Mute Shane King
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 10:44 AM

    They’re defending there country would you liked to have put all the IRA men fighting in the troubles in the 70s in one place and nuke them.

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    Mute Clifford Brennan
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 10:50 AM

    @shane. If by ‘defending their country’ you in fact mean ‘ want to set up a neo caliphate and believe its their right to kill non believers’ then youre right. Otherwise no. ( wonder what they’ll do to beliebers?)

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    Mute Shane King
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 10:54 AM

    I know what you mean,but you can’t say that they don’t have a right to defend there land,alot of times is a farmer shooting at them because he’s pissed off at them for attracting attention of the taliban by trampling through his fields.not all muslims are extremist

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    Mute Pádraic O'Callanáin
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 11:55 AM

    @ Shane. Wow what an amazing like for like analogy!! Last time I checked, northern Irish paramilitaries were not burning down schools, refusing to allow women to be educated after the age of eight, forcing child marriage, or banning women from general hospitals.

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    Mute Shane King
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 12:04 PM

    Catholics were burnt out of there homes they could not get jobs and were basically excluded from politics.is that the reason the UN is there then,why arnt they in all the other Muslim countrys that this happens in.If say for instance Scotland invaded Ireland in the morning through no fault of your own would you just try and make the most of you and your family’s life or would you try do something about it.

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    Mute Pádraic O'Callanáin
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 12:15 PM

    The Taliban are not representative of the Pashtun people or the other diverse peoples of Afghanistan. Read up on your Afghan history.

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    Mute Shane King
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 12:18 PM

    So you think that there glad to have the UN there after all they can grow opium again after the taliban had banned it.Does anybody want foreign soldiers in there country I doubt it somehow

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    Mute Belly Up
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 3:56 PM

    Yes actually I would Shane, they’re all scvm

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    Mute Belly Up
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 3:57 PM

    Also learn the difference between there, their and they’re. What age are you? You clearly haven’t a clue about what’s going on. It’s NATO who are in charge of operations in Afghanistan, not the UN

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    Mute Belly Up
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 3:58 PM

    I was replying to your nuke them all question

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    Mute Eamonn Bolger
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 8:43 PM

    Shane – defending their country my hole. A bunch of nuts hiding behind a ‘religion of peace’ the majority of whom Re not even from Afghanistan. A bunch of thugs who terrorised a local populace.

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    Mute Pádraic O'Callanáin
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 12:27 PM

    The UN are there at the request of the Government of Afghanistan to assist it and the people of Afghanistan in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development. As for your opium comment, Between 1996 and 1999 Mullah Omar reversed his opinions on the drug trade, apparently as it only harmed kafirs. The Taliban controlled 96% of Afghanistan’s poppy fields and made opium its largest source of taxation. Taxes on opium exports became one of the mainstays of Taliban income and their war economy.

    Any more ‘facts’ Shane, or will you admit that your analogy is based on assumptions and poor research?

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    Mute Shane King
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 12:49 PM

    No mate I come here for questions and answers I can admit when I’m wrong.I thought the Americans went in after bin laden that they weren’t invited wasn’t the taliban in government they were fighting the northern alliance.

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    Mute Pádraic O'Callanáin
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 12:56 PM

    Germany rules large tracts of western European the early 40′s yet, would you agree that they were the rightful rulers?

    Read what they (Taliban) did in Mazar-i-Sharif. Is this behaviour that is acceptable when assuming power?

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    Mute Shane King
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 1:06 PM

    I’m not saying I support the taliban any group that wants sharia law should not be aloud near politics at all.my point is that you can’t blame people who want to defend there land from invaders the farmers hate when troops come into there area becauae it attracts the taliban in for a fight,they just want to be left alone from both sides

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    Mute William Delaney
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    Apr 22nd 2013, 1:51 PM

    Where are the bleeding hearts now…… Guess we have a good idea what the outcome of this will be…….

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