Last June, accountants from the HSE were busy sanctioning payments to Ireland’s network of private hospitals. However, when it came to the Mater Private, the numbers just did not seem to reconcile. To ramp up healthcare capacity following the arrival of Covid-19, the state had to effectively take control of Ireland’s €1.2 billion private hospital sector in early April. In return for covering the operating costs of the hospitals, the state had access to all their services. The contract was negotiated between the HSE and the Private Hospital Association (PHA). It was an industry deal, and not hospital-specific. Indeed, the…

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