Up to 20 public hospitals, some of which have had to close beds due to funding difficulties, are now carrying out private work for the National Treatment Purchase Fund. They include the five main Dublin teaching hospitals.
Fine Gael's health spokeswoman, Ms Olivia Mitchell, claimed last night that at least some of the hospitals were being given money from the fund to reopen wards closed due to inadequate funding.
"The clear message to hospitals is that failure to keep within budgets will be compensated for with additional funds," Ms Mitchell said.
She added that this was "crazy economics" and it was leading to the taxpayer paying on the double simply "to massage" waiting-list figures.
The fund was set up to buy private treatment for patients waiting very long periods on waiting lists.
Ms Mitchell said that it made good sense to use spare capacity in hospitals for this work but none of the five acute hospitals in Dublin came into this category.