Beacon Medical Group to lay off six staff

THE STATE'S partner in the development of private hospitals on public hospital sites, the Beacon Medical Group, is to lay off six administrative staff at its headquarters in Sandyford, Co Dublin.

The group, which employs more than 550 staff, said the decision would not affect its plans to invest €850 million in building three new hospitals in Dublin, Cork and Limerick.

Beacon's senior management also agreed to a pay review, but other staff are unaffected by the move, which, the group said, was in response to a cost review in line with current economic conditions.

Commercial director at the hospital Pauline Cullen said the six redundancies would not affect the Beacon Hospital or the group's other medical facilities, including the Beacon Consultants Clinic or the Beacon Medical Mall, which houses specialist centres in eye laser treatment, dentistry and weight loss.

Asked if the need for a redundancy programme would affect plans to build the co-located hospitals, Ms Cullen replied "absolutely not".

Planning permission has been secured for the new hospital at Beaumont, but planning objections have been raised in relation to the Limerick and Cork facilities.