Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 102: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will report on the procedures followed in the recruitment of both permanent and temporary senior management of the Health Service Executive; if she is satisfied that all proper public sector procedures were followed; if senior public or civil servants were active participants in the selection process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3346/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I take it that the Deputy is referring to the recruitment of the national directors within the interim Health Service Executive (iHSE), which took place in 2004.

I have been informed by the Health Service Executive that the iHSE awarded a contract to PricewaterhouseCoopers, PWC, following a tendering process, to manage the recruitment of eight national directors. The eight positions were advertised in the national media during the summer of 2004. PWC compiled a list of applicants and then recommended a shortlist of suitable candidates, in each category, to the iHSE.

I understand that interview panels were established, which comprised the executive chairman of the iHSE; members of the board of the iHSE; some senior public and civil servants, including retired senior public and civil servants; and other suitably qualified individuals. Following the interview process job offers were made in respect of six of the positions. In respect of the remaining two positions, there was no preferred candidate from either interview. The iHSE subsequently made acting appointments in respect of both of these unfilled positions.

The HSE has advised me that further senior management positions have been identified by the HSE, and acting appointments have been made pending recruitment. Recruitment for these additional positions will be managed by the Public Appointments Service.