Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 578: To ask the Minister for Health the changes he will make to the management of hospitals in the mid-west region; his views on a statement by a person (details supplied) that the proposed changes will result in rampant managerialism and inevitable failure; and if he will make a statement on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27978/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Safe, high-quality health care is a fundamental principle of the reform programme.

A key element of this is the proper management of hospitals. The establishment of Hospital Groups followed by Hospital Trusts to manage public hospitals is a key element of the reform of the health service in Ireland. Last December I announced new management arrangements for two groups of hospitals in the West and Mid West.

This week I announced that Professor Niall O'Higgins had been appointed as Chair of the Mid-Western Regional Hospital Group. In addition, Mr Noel Daly has been appointed to the role of Chair the Galway Roscommon University Hospital Group. The term of the appointments is for three years and the boards of the groups will be established initially on a non-statutory basis.

These appointments are entirely in keeping with the reform programme as well as with the recommendations of the HIQA report into Tallaght Hospital - 'Report of the investigation into the quality, safety and governance of the care provided by for patients who require acute admission'.

The two new hospital group Chairmen will have key roles in the development of effective corporate and clinical governance structures for the groups along with the quality and safety of systems of care in place for patients of the hospital groups. Central to this will be overseeing the implementation of the relevant recommendations of the HIQA report in relation to Tallaght Hospital.