HSE head criticised for having conference expenses paid

TDs have criticised HSE director general Tony O’Brien for allowing a US medical company pay for his attendance at a conference in Madrid earlier this month.

Mr O'Brien defended his decision to allow the company, Acelity, to pay for his expenses in attending the Make Better Healthcare Leaders' Summit in the Spanish capital. The multinational, which has a plant in Athlone, supplies advanced wound care therapies.

Acelity was paying the flights and accommodation of all the other speakers at the conference and having the company fund his travel was preferable to travelling at the expense of the taxpayer, he told the Dáil public accounts committee.

Mr O’Brien, who addressed the issue of the “Conflicting issues of today’s clinical pathway”, confirmed he will also receive a speakers’ fee, but this will be donated to charity.

Major supplier

Fine Gael TD John Deasy questioned whether it was wise for Mr O’Brien to “potentially compromise” himself to a major supplier to the Irish health system, and to accept a fee, even if this was given to charity.

He said he would be amazed if other public officials, such as the comptroller and auditor general or the secretary general of the Department of Health, would allow a private company to pay their expenses for a conference.

Mr Deasy said the issue didn’t send out a good message about the health service.

Mr O’Brien said he had no direct dealings with the company who organised the conference. The HSE had decided a member of staff who worked in procurement would not attend it.

He said he made a decision that the conference was worthwhile. The benefit he received would be declared in due course to the Standards in Public Office Commission.

Fianna Fáil TD Seán Fleming asked whether it was appropriate for Mr O’Brien to allow the company pay for the trip in the light of the controversy over Eurosurgical Ltd, which is alleged to have paid for holidays and gifts for hospital staff in return for inside information ahead of contract talks.

Mr O’Brien said he resented the comparison and the two situations were completely different. The Eurosurgical controversy involved people taking private holidays to sun destinations, whereas he was invited to speak at a conference. He said he took legal advice within the HSE before deciding to attend.