Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 May 2012
63 Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure continuing and adequate funding for the established organisations for those women whose health has been damaged by infected blood products; the meetings he has held to address the funding issue and their outcome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24216/12]
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 organisations 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, or members of an organisation.
Discussions are continuing with the organisations referred to by the Deputy regarding their SLAs for 2012 and funding has been provided by the HSE to meet fixed cost commitments, pending agreement to the terms of the SLAs.
