Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I have already stated who is in charge of the programme, namely the national director of shared services. Deputy Kenny can quote from the report but I will give a more balanced interpretation. The Astron report states that PPARS is working quite well in some areas but that overall disappointment exists at what is being delivered. That is what I said one year ago. It confirms that any further roll-out decision is on hold and recommends that it should be based on the new HSE structure, which is now 20 months old. We all agree with that.

The report goes on to state that this would have to be with the support and participation of senior management, which is obvious, and that complexity surrounding staff terms and conditions would have to be removed. We all know that the old health board system had a variety of health boards around the country in which people worked under differing terms, conditions, contracts and work practices. That was the reason we decided, in 2001, to introduce a unified health system, the Health Service Executive, which has come into effect and is working successfully — although in a difficult position — towards implementing a policy on the more than 100,000 health service staff who are working hard throughout the country. The report states that it is difficult to identify realised cost savings in sites where the system has been implemented but that project staff levels were reduced from approximately 500 to 254 by May, and it gives the cost of the project.

The report's recommendations are that a long-term plan is required by the HSE, that as a first step, the HSE should stabilise the system in existing life sites and that we should address issues, including complexity, arising from variations in terms and conditions. That is why we set up the HSE. The report goes on to advise that we should improve ownership and governance. I have already stated that responsibility for this is with the national director of shared services for the health board. The report also recommends that we should have more management and information needs, identify requirements for transfer to shared services and agree steps for a transition to a single integrated HSE structure. That is precisely what is happening. In referring to the issues raised in the report, Deputy Kenny stopped when it came to the recommendations. They are in the same report and, if the Deputy turns over the page, he can read them. That is what is happening.

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