Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 67 together.

The board of the Health Service Executive has begun the recruitment process for the next chief executive officer of the HSE as the contract of the current CEO, Professor Brendan Drumm, expires in August this year. In accordance with section 17 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE board is responsible for making the appointment. That Act stipulates that the recruitment process must be in accordance with the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004.

I understand the recruitment process initiated by the board is being conducted in accordance with the code of practice issued by the Commission for Public Service Appointments. Much of the information about this competitive process is, by its nature, confidential, such as information about applicants and interviews, and it is not appropriate, therefore, for me to seek access to the details sought by the Deputy. However, I understand the intention of the board is to ensure the process will be complete in time for an orderly handover of responsibility.

Public advertisements for the position were placed nationally and internationally in December 2009. As part of the recruitment process, an executive search and recruitment company, Amrop Strategis, has been engaged by the board following competitive tender to conduct an international search for the position.

The salary rate for the post is €228,466. This is the same as the current salary rate for the Secretaries General of the Departments of the Taoiseach and Finance and is in line with the recommendations of the review body reports in 2007 and 2009 for the CEO of the HSE. A higher remuneration level was approved for the current CEO on his appointment to reflect the particular challenges for the first appointee to the post.

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