Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 21: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress made with regard to the recruitment of a chief executive officer for the Health Service Executive; when it is expected that an appointment will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9404/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Interim Health Service Executive, iHSE, awarded a contract to PricewaterhouseCoopers, PWC, following a tendering process, to manage the recruitment of the chief executive officer of the health service executive.

In September 2004, Professor Aidan Halligan — deputy chief medical officer in the UK — was announced as the first chief executive officer of the Health Service Executive. In November 2004 Professor Halligan announced his withdrawal from the process due to personal reasons.

Following a recommendation from the board of the iHSE, I appointed the executive chairman of the iHSE as interim chief executive of the Health Service Executive with effect from 1 January 2005. The interim chief executive officer will remain in this position until a chief executive officer is appointed.

PWC has continued as the recruitment agency to manage the recruitment of the permanent chief executive officer for the Health Service Executive, HSE, and this recruitment process has been underway since early December 2004.

A recruitment subcommittee of the board of the HSE is responsible for the selection of a CEO. The subcommittee is chaired by Mr. Liam Downey, the chairperson of the board. The recruitment subcommittee met on the 18 February to assess progress and decide on a suitable shortlist of potential candidates. Formal interviews were held on 8 and 9 March 2005 and the process remains ongoing. When the recruitment process is complete, the board will recommend a person to me for appointment as CEO of the HSE.