ONE-FIFTH of the bonuses paid to Health Service Executive (HSE) staff last year went to those working in the organisation's human resources section. In all, 99 staff were paid bonuses worth a total of €1.148 million.
Some 21 of the staff who received bonuses were working in human resources, while an equal number in primary community and continuing care were deemed eligible. Seven HSE staff in its IT section got bonuses as did 13 in its finance section, seven in the office of the HSE's chief executive and 14 in its national hospitals office.
The other bonuses were paid to six staff in population health, six in HSE shared services, two in internal audit, one in corporate planning and control processes, and one in the process and operations section.
The figures, released to The Irish Timesunder the Freedom of Information Act, show that while the biggest bonus of €80,000 went to HSE chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm, the second-biggest bonus of €29,093 went to a hospital manager and the third-biggest of €27,414 went to a senior staff member in primary community and continuing care. A hospital network manager received a bonus of €23,564.
The HSE refused to release the names of the staff. The payments were in respect of their performances in 2006 and the documentation released states key targets had to be met for the bonuses to be paid. Examples included setting-up of GP out-of-hours services and primary care teams, managing staff numbers and staying within budget, as well as "Ppars".
However, it does not state what had to be achieved under Ppars. The further roll-out of the controversial computerised payroll and human resources system for the health service was suspended in November 2005 by Prof Drumm amid concerns at escalating costs.
Then, in mid-2007, the HSE board decided to abandon its further roll-out. Instead, it decided it wanted a different computer system, with broader functions, to manage payroll and human resources for the HSE's huge workforce.
The bonus payments to HSE human resources staff were made in 2006 despite the organisation exceeding its employment ceiling at various points during the year.
In June 2006, the HSE had some 7,000 more staff employed than permitted under the Government's employment ceiling. However, later in the year, following negotiations with the Departments of Health and Finance, its employment ceiling was raised.
Also in 2006, while the HSE balanced its budget it failed to spend some €97.7 million of its capital budget. Some of the money went back to the exchequer but €71 million had to be used to offset the HSE's day-to-day running costs.
The HSE bonus payments scheme is available to its senior management team.
Awards of up to 20 per cent of salary may be made.