Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The HSE board makes those decisions and that is right. That is how it is in respect of every bonus payment scheme.

With regard to the more general issue related to consultancy and the McKinsey report, this issue is to ensure that in the reorganisation which has been taking place the management system interrelates between the community care system and the acute hospital system. Changes are being made to ensure this join-up is there and that is a good thing. A lot of work has also been done on reviewing the personnel management of the operation and the Minister for Finance will have views on this and will discuss them with the House next week. This is all part of a major reorganisation taking place in the health service.

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