THE RETIRED former general manager of the controversial Skill programme in the health service has called on the Health Service Executive to withdraw a critical report drawn up before Christmas on its behalf by the former Ibec chief Turlough O’Sullivan.
In a letter to the Dáil public accounts committee (PAC), Alan Smith said he was asking the HSE to withdraw the O’Sullivan report on the basis that agency’s internal process “did not observe basic principles of natural justice”.
He said he also wanted the HSE to withdraw comments made by the organisation’s chief executive Cathal Magee, at an appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last month, in which he maintained that Mr Smith had not co-operated with the inquiry and that he had failed to attend meetings.
“I wish to put on record that at no time was I requested to attend a meeting with Mr O’Sullivan and therefore could not have declined such a request. Indeed, the only communication I received in relation to Mr O’Sullivan’s investigation was a registered letter from him dated October 11th, 2010, to which I responded. It should be noted that the same letter refers to a recent meeting I had with Mr OSullivan – no such meeting took pace – and thanks me for my continuing co-operation.”
Mr Smith said he was dismayed to learn from media reports that the PAC had given consideration to the HSE report “which made adverse comments about my professional integrity”.
He said these comments had not been put to him in a draft report nor was he given an opportunity to challenge any aspect of the evidence. “Accordingly it was completely inappropriate for the HSE to have tabled such a report with the PAC without first giving me that opportunity. . .”