Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Much of what Mr. Goulding said sounds logical. Staff costs had been saved and because of that it was decided that the CRC could afford to pay the new chief executive a little bit more; otherwise, people at a subordinate level would have earned more than him. That is fine except for the fact that there is a chain of correspondence, some of it directly from Mr. Goulding on 27 October 2011, when he as chairman wrote to the HSE and said “As and when the position of chief executive is to be replaced through retirement or resignation, the CRC will arrange that the provisions set out are included in all future relevant contracts.” He then informed the board on 7 November that CRC would comply with the HSE requests on any future appointment. Then the correspondence just stopped. Mr. Goulding had agreed both through correspondence and with the board that a certain chain of actions would take place.

We then have Appendix 24, which is an e-mail from Mr. Goulding to Paul Kiely, Brian Conlan and Jim Nugent. Some of the language in it is concerning. On page 64 he refers to how he will deal with the Health Service Executive, HSE, in regard to Paul's replacement. One line states:

If we just sit tight it is inevitable that they will react fairly soon, and come looking for details and explanations which will already have put us at a disadvantage.

He further states: "... we have taken the initiative and have more control of the discussions ...". Mr. Goulding goes on to state there are three matters he wishes to raise with the HSE. The third point states: "That we can, by use of our independent funding, augment the salary above their standard rate." I am interested in first on the specific level regarding the CRC and then on a broader level in terms of what happened with the relationship between the CRC and the HSE that we have a situation where Mr. Goulding, as chairman, is writing letters to his colleagues on the board to the effect that they must be careful these guys do not put us at a disadvantage, that they have to take the initiative or they will come cracking down on them while still asking if he can further augment the salary. It is completely at variance with the public messages he had been corresponding with the HSE.