Dr. Geraldine Smith:

The service level agreement is very clear about pay policy. I should say that the HSE put a lot of work into developing its governance framework with the agencies, and from 2009, the HSE started to revise the arrangements because the Deputy may recall that the former health boards would have had different ways of doing things. Some had service agreements; others did not. There were different standards and so on, but the important point to bear in mind is that, in 2009, the HSE engaged in a process with the agencies to develop a governance framework. The service arrangements were put in place in 2010. The HSE went back again, in consultation with the agencies, and put a revised, enhanced service arrangement in place for 2011.

The Deputy is asking about the provisions for pay. The service agreement for section 38 agencies is very clear. Section 3.2(c)(v) states that a provider shall "not pay nor subsidise salaries [etc.] which exceed those normally paid within the public sector". There is a further provision at section 16.5 that: "The Provider will adhere to the consolidated salary scales where they apply and is not authorised to pay salaries in excess of the consolidated scales for approved grades." It is quite clear in that respect.