In the HSE West area in 2011 more than €4.5 million was spent on taxis for both patients and staff, according to information released to the HSE West regional forum this week.
The highest expenditure on taxis was in Galway with some €2.3 million being spent, while Limerick accounted for almost €300,000. Mayo was the third highest spending county of the nine in the HSE West region, with a spend of over €151,000 - €141,108 on patients and €10,557 on staff.
The figures were supplied by Liam Minihan, assistant national director of finance for the HSE, in response to a question by Leitrim county councillor Sean McGowan.
