Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 May 2012
285 Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will review the contracts for funding which require the signing of service level agreements in cases of volunteer run organisations (details supplied). [22469/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE funds over 2,500 organisation, which operate over 4,100 separate funding arrangements to a value of approximately €3.3 billion. These organisations vary in scale and complexity, ranging from large acute hospitals to local community based organisations providing social care services. The HSE National Governance Framework regarding funding of non-statutory organisations commenced in 2009 and was rolled out to all agencies in 2010.
The Framework sets out the requirement that all agencies in receipt of State funding must sign a Service Level Agreement (SLA). This policy was put in place to ensure accountability, probity and good governance in relation to spending of State funding. The HSE had made the organisation referred to by the Deputy aware of the Framework in 2008. Part 1 of the SLA document is generic to all organisations and cannot be changed and Part 2 allows for specific details of the organisation's role and services to be inserted. Signing the SLA does not compromise the confidentiality of the work of the organisation.
Discussions are continuing with the organisation referred to by the Deputy regarding its SLA for 2012 and funding has been provided to meet fixed cost commitments, pending agreement to the terms of the SLA. The organisation, however, through its legal advisors, is refusing to provide supporting documentation relating to its accounts for previous years to the HSE, and does not believe that it should be subject to an SLA for the funding it receives. The organisation received a sum of €558,355 in 2011. Organisations with functions similar to the one in question have signed SLAs for 2012. For the reasons above, I am fully supportive of the HSE's position in ensuring accountability for State funding.
