DESPITE STRONG criticism from Government Ministers the Health Service Executive last night appears set to go ahead with its highly controversial plans to defer payment of expenses due to staff next month.
Minister for Health James Reilly and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin yesterday urged the HSE to shelve plans to delay the payment of expenses for travel and subsistence which were incurred in October and November until early January at the earliest.
The HSE has told trade unions that it wanted to defer payment of the money due, about €15 million, as a result of its financial position.
Dr Reilly has powers to give directions to the HSE. However as of last night it appeared that he had not yet done so.
The executive appeared to be waiting for such a directive.
However the Government has announced it is to provide supplementary funding to the executive including €58 million arising from the redundancy schemes in the health service last year as well as possible savings from the Department of Health.
Minister of State for Health Róisín Shortall told the Dáil yesterday that notwithstanding the HSE’s potential €300 million deficit, neither she nor Dr Reilly agreed with the plan to defer payment of the expenses.
She also indicated that the move had not been authorised by the executive’s board. It is understood that senior HSE figures dispute the suggestion that the move was unauthorised by the board.
“The Minister for Health has repeatedly said that the HSE must live within its budget. However, the Minister cannot accept measures to effect budgetary savings which involve a simple refusal to pay staff what they are owed.
“The HSE must comply with the requirements of the Public Financial Procedures. This means that the HSE should meet its matured liabilities. This would include travel expenses, where they are due for payment.”
The minutes of the meeting of the HSE board on October 23rd said it supported management in taking all appropriate measures to deliver a balanced vote by year end. The minutes refer to a range of possible measures being discussed including deferring variable pay/travel expenses. However, it said that no action would be taken on these until after the board meeting in November.
Mr Howlin said “every State agency has to pay its way” and that living within its budget “doesn’t mean you don’t pay your bills”.