Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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48. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details on remuneration in 2012, 2013 and 2014 for persons, or companies, tasked with carrying out investigations into complaints, regarding behaviours, and practices, in the Health Service Executive; if there is an assessment of conflict-of-interest, as regards the investigators, before these investigations are initiated; if he will confirm whether, in some cases, current and former high-level employees of the Executive are being contracted to carry out these investigations into internal practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8054/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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49. To ask the Minister for Health if he is satisfied with persons, who were formally employed by the Health Service Executive, being involved in investigations into their practices. [8042/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The HSE has a National Safety Incident Management Policy which sets out the steps to be taken when an investigation is required. In addition, the HSE has a range of processes in place which provide guidance on these matters including, the National Policy for Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons at Risk of Abuse, Trust in Care etc.

The HSE’s National Safety Incident Management Policy was updated in 2014 and is in line with international practice in patient safety and risk management. It requires that those who conduct such investigations are competent investigators who have the requisite training and skills required. Investigators should not have responsibility for the service they investigate, nor should they have been involved in the incident that is being investigated. It does not prevent a person who is or was an employee of the HSE from becoming involved in a review or an investigation of a service managed or funded by the HSE.

In many circumstances, clinical directors and other senior clinicians will, as part of learning and organisational improvement, undertake investigations, look-backs and audits. Furthermore, the HSE as the primary health service employer will employ the majority of individuals in this jurisdiction who would have the specialist skills and expertise required for any given review or investigation. When independence from the HSE is required, the HSE policy does provide for national and international experts to be part of reviews. There are arrangements in place with national and international professional bodies for identifying these experts and this further contributes to the independence of the experts who are participating in these reviews.