Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2004
177 Mr. English asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the existing 210 North Eastern Health Board jobs in Kells, County Meath will be retained in Kells when the new Health Service Executive regional headquarters takes over in January 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31015/04]
View answer178 Mr. English asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the 25 to 30 jobs created by the new Health Service Executive regional headquarters will be in addition to the existing 210 jobs currently in place in the North Eastern Health Board in Kells, County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31016/04]
View answerI propose to take QuestionsNos. 177 and 178 together.
Under the Interim Health Service Executive (Establishment) Order 2004, the interim HSE has the responsibility to devise a plan for the establishment of a national unified structure for the delivery of health services, and the integration of the management, administrative and service delivery structures of health boards. Responsibility for the matters referred to by the Deputy therefore rests primarily with the board of the interim Health Service Executive in its role of preparing a plan to manage the health service from 1 January 2005.
I understand that the interim Health Service Executive has stated that existing health board headquarters, such as for the North Eastern Health Board in Kells, will continue to be centres of significant health employment under the Health Service Executive. To ensure continuity of services, and allow for the smooth transition to the unified structure, the interim Health Service Executive plans to keep the existing system in place during the transition, which will ensure that the current employment levels in Kells are maintained.
Decisions in relation to the establishment of the regional offices, and the level of employment required, will be taken by the chief executive officer and the senior management team, in consultation with staff and their representative groups, early in 2005.
