Sinn Féin has described as "scandalous" the tens of thousands of euro that are being spent annually by Tallaght Hospital on an unused building that was originally commissioned to provide a breast cancer service.

€60,000 is being spent annually on the Berkley House which was originally commissioned to provide breast cancer services but has not been used for its intended purpose.

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Dublin South West TD Seán Crowe said: "Considering that Tallaght Hospital's budget was reduced by €15 million in 2011 and it is required to save €26 million, the money being wasted on Berkley House is nothing short of scandalous. This seems a terrible waste of resources especially since Tallaght is one of the busiest hospitals in the country where staff shortages have impacted on patient care in the face of unsustainable cutbacks.

"It is an unacceptable situation and is something that the Board of Tallaght Hospital, Health Minister James O’Reilly TD and the HSE must address as a matter of urgency. There is very little money available for patients and frontline staff under the current budgeting arrangements yet this money is being wasted on an empty building."

(CD)