John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this very important motion. I want to concentrate my contribution on one issue, that of recruitment. Under questioning today the Taoiseach admitted that the advertisement seeking a replacement for the CEO of the HSE has not yet entered the public domain. It is less that eight weeks until the time when Mr. O'Brien will be leaving, if he does not leave before then. Regardless of when he leaves, the organisation that employs 110,000 people and is responsible for the well-being of our people will not have a permanent CEO for a period that will probably last at least six months. This is not acceptable. What organisation would survive with that recruitment policy? What organisation would let its head retire or move on without a replacement? The replacement should be there a month before the incumbent steps down to allow for a handover period.

It is not only the position of Tony O'Brien that operates in this manner. It is the same for consultants, doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals at all levels. When somebody retires, there is never a replacement there on the day that person steps down. If a person walks into a hospital or phones one up looking to speak to a consultant and that person is told that the consultant has retired, if the person looks for his or her replacement, he or she will be told that no one has been appointed yet. It is simply not acceptable. It is in the Sláintecare report, but we do not need the Sláintecare report to have a functional recruitment office within the HSE. We need that to be put in place right now. It is symbolic of the organisation.

The Minister has responsibility for this. He has known of Tony O'Brien's imminent departure for the past 12 months, as has the whole country since the start of January. In today's response the Taoiseach said that the job description is changing and evolving. That is just not a strong enough excuse. There must be a CEO of the organisation in place at all times. It is very important not only that the lesson be learnt from this debacle but that, in respect of future recruitment, there is a root-and-branch overhaul of whatever recruitment policies are in place in the HSE so that not only the CEO but also doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals get recruited in a timely manner to allow the organisation to function properly.

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