Politics

Mary Coughlan-backed non-profit firm was paid €6m to transport HSE patients in 2022

Seirbhis Iompair Tuaithe Teo - which has the former Tánaiste on its board - manages all non-acute patient transport for Letterkenny hospital and Sligo hospital.

Mary Coughlan, the former Fianna Fáil minister who served as Tánaiste alongside former Taoiseach Brian Cowen in the 2008-2011 Fianna Fáil-Green Party- Progressive Democrats coalition

A not-for-profit company which has a former Tánaiste on its board was paid €6 million to transport HSE patients last year.

The HSE has no private transport service of its own and relies on private taxi firms to transport patients who are getting special treatment in regional cancer centres of excellence.

Figures released by the HSE under the Freedom of Information Act show that it spent €28.6 million on taxis for patient transport last year.