Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

——and moved from 11 health boards to a unified health system properly structured under the HSE was to move away from issues of waste in the past.

This was highlighted in the Hay consultancy report. It stated that a reduction in the costs of absenteeism, which currently stands at €350 million or 5% of the total bill, would result in projected savings of €56 million.

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