The head of the Health Service Executive has strongly defended the body over its refusal to examine concerns about breast cancer services at Barringtons hospital in Limerick.
Prof Brendan Drumm said it was beyond the realms of possibility that the HSE could have investigated complaints about the service in the private hospital.
Over the weekend The Irish Times revealed that the Department of Health and the HSE were aware of concerns over the breast cancer service in Barringtons Hospital 19 months before anything was done about it.
The Department had written to the HSE asking them to look at a number of issues, but the HSE had said they did not have the power to do so.
Speaking after a regional health forum in Kells, Co Meath, Prof Drumm said to portray the HSE as having a role in monitoring private hospitals was very unfair.
He denied that the issue was batted between the two organisations for months.
Prof Drumm said there was absolutely no way that the HSE would or could have intervened as they do not have the statutory powers to do so.
