An official of the Siptu is the subject of internal enquiries on foot of information the union has received from the HSE, it emerged today.
A statement issued by the union this evening came after the chief executive of the HSE expressed concern about where more than €2.3 million allocated as part of a training programme may have potentially ended up.
Siptu repeated its assertion that it "has not received from the Department of Health or the HSE any of the €2.353 million in payments", to which Prof Brendan Drumm referred.
The union said national officers intend to complete the enquiries "as quickly as possible". The union called for "a comprehensive reply" to its request for details of the HSE audit.
Speaking at the launch of its annual report earlier today, Prof Drumm confirmed that internal audit review into the administration of the Skill programme had been referred to gardaí.
The annual report says that the audit idenfified payments as €2.353 million to one organisation which had been made over the period 2002 to 2009 and where payments were made but not accompanied by adequate supporting documentation.
The upskilling programme aimed to support staff in services such as catering housekeeping, therapy assistance technicians, maintenance, portering and other non-clinical and non-administrative areas.
Prof Drumm said that as part of the programme, under a partnership agreement, money had moved between government and one trade union, which was channelled through the HSE.
Prof Drumm said he could not give a good answer as to what the money was used for or why it was channelled through his organisation.
He said the programme began prior to the establishment of the HSE.
At the weekend, the union Siptu categorically denied it had received any money from either the HSE or the Department of Health.
Prof Drumm said the HSE had delivered substantially on its commitments set out in its service plan agreement with the Government last year. He said that service delivery was between three and four per cent ahead of target and that extra services were provided within budget.