The Health Service Executive says that it has a strict process in place for using employing taxi services in the Shannonside region.

 

It follows details of payments of over 200,000 Euros paid out by the HSE to some taxi providers in the Roscommon area and many other parts of the HSE West region that have been published in national papers.

 

In response to a Freedom of Information request, the HSE confirmed that last year, it paid taxi companies €3.7 million in nine counties from Donegal to Limerick.

 

The HSE paid one taxi firm in Curraghroe in Roscommon over €246,000 last year alone as part of its HSE contract.

 

An Athlone company received €158,805 while a Strokestown taxi service got just over €131,000 for bringing patients to and from hospital appointments or to avail of other HSE facilities.

 

The HSE says these taxi contracts were not put out to tender but that it does intend to put the contracts out to tender in the future.

 

In a statement to Shannonside News it says that it does, however have a strict a process in place whereby Taxi/Hackney companies register to provide a service to the HSE's patients.

 

Any provider registered with the Commission for Taxi Regulation can apply to go on a panel of providers.

 

When all of the necessary license and health and safety information is verified, the company is put on the current list of Taxi/Hackney companies that are available to convey patients to their hospital appointments.

 

Work is allocated on the basis of cost and availability.