The Department of Health and the HSE have come under increased scrutiny after it was claimed that a total of €198m was omitted from the HSE’s accounts.
According to RTÉ News the accusation comes after it was revealed on Thursday that the HSE’s outstanding debt was €83m.
However it was revealed on Friday that the HSE failed to account for the €198m High Court settlement for hospital consultants who were awarded unpaid salary increases which date over the last ten years.
RTÉ News say the Public Accounts Committee were told by that the HSE were instructed by the Department of Health not to include the liability payment in its final accounts.
The accounts committee were informed by the Committee Chair Sean Fleming, that had the Department of Health not interfered in the auditing under the directive of the Simon Harris, the final deficit for the accounts would have stood at €283m.
Mr Fleming also told the committee that he is taking the very seriously and has called an emergency meeting to take place next week in order for the HSE and the Department of Health to provide answers.
He added that that the ‘massaging’ of figures is worrying.
Meanwhile RTÉ News say the Department of Health have since responded by claiming that there has been no wrong doing and the matter was a technical solution to address the payment.
They added that the payments omission occurred as it would be spread over two years.