Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on reports that a memo from the Secretary General of the Department of Health and Children discouraged the Health Service Executive chief executive officer, Professor Drumm, from engaging in written communication; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this is further evidence of a growing lack of accountability within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15459/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to a media report some time back referring to a meeting last September between the Secretary General of my Department and the chief executive officer of the Health Service Executive about my initiative to free up public hospital beds for public patients.

I can assure the Deputy that there is no question of a lack of accountability by or within my Department or the HSE. Both organisations operate under intense parliamentary and media scrutiny.

The Deputy may wish to note a relevant comment in the Travers report to the effect that "any over emphasis on note-taking and recording of the minutae... would undermine the establishment of the mutual confidence essential to a productive working relationship".

There is an open and business-like working relationship between my Department and the HSE with frequent written and oral contacts. While there must be appropriate written communication, an over-reliance on the transmission of formal letters from one organisation to the other is not the way to develop the mutual understanding, trust and confidence essential to a productive working relationship. Such a relationship is essential if the Department and the HSE are to work together with the single aim of delivering the best possible health and personal social services within the resources made available by the Government.