Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he intends to take action over the apparent total overpayment to the current Chief Executive Officer of the Health Service Executive of circa, €160,000 since 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1135/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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It is the responsibility of the HSE, as employer, to ensure that the correct pay rates are in force for its staff. This is essential to ensure compliance with public service pay policy. In the case raised by the Deputy, the HSE granted an allowance in 2006 in recognition of the additional responsibilities which the individual's appointment as Project Director for the National Programme for Radiation Oncology entailed. This allowance was incorporated into the individual's salary rate for subsequent appointments on a secondment basis as Deputy Director, and then Interim Director, of the National Cancer Control Programme. Following the subsuming of the National Cancer Screening Service into the HSE with effect from 1 January 2010, the salary level payable to the staff member concerned was maintained.

While the allowance granted was intended to reflect very significant extra responsibilities, and I am satisfied that these additional duties were discharged successfully over a number of years, this arrangement was put in place without the approval of the then Departments of Health and Children and Finance. In these circumstances my Department wrote to the HSE in November 2012, requesting that it review its procedures for the sanctioning of pay levels, including allowances. In particular, the Executive was asked to take the necessary steps to ensure that adequate governance and oversight controls are in place at appropriate levels to ensure that the required sanctioning procedures are strictly adhered to within the HSE.

In addition the HSE Internal Audit function is at present undertaking a detailed review of the remuneration arrangements for senior staff in all organisations funded under section 38 of the Health Act 2004 to provide services on behalf of the HSE. When this has been completed, a report on the matter will be considered by the Board of the HSE in the first instance.