Sir, – The Government’s proposed solution to the over-payment to senior managers in various health institutions is to cut the level of funding going to those institutions by the same amount as the over-payment.
The most likely effect of this is that services being provided to patients will be cut by a similar amount, rather than the senior managers suffering the loss of their over-payment.
A more focused and effective solution might be to stop all payment to the offending senior managers until such time as it proven that any overpayment, of any sort, is ceased, will remain ceased and that any attempt to make illegal over-payments in the future will result in the dismissal, from their jobs, of the person(s) approving any over-payment.
Harsh? Perhaps. Effective? Yes. – Yours, etc,
DAVID DORAN,
Royal Oak Road,
Bagenalstown,
Co Carlow.
Sir, – With all the scandal regarding top-up payments to senior staff in some hospitals and agencies, I have one question: were these payments declared to the Revenue Commissioners? – Yours, etc,
JIM PAYNE,
Castleknock Wood,
Laurel Lodge,
Dublin 15.
Sir, – Is the use of public subscriptions to ensure the effective running of the CRC any different to the persistent entreaties from our schools to parents to contribute to the effective running of them because Government policy does not adequately provide the the funds or a realistic strategy to make them viable?
We should applaud the creative initiatives of all placed in this invidious position to ensure the services so desperately needed can continue to be provided. – Yours, etc,
DEREK Mac HUGH,
Westminster Lawns,
Foxrock,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – It seems Tallaght Hospital still appears on the list of institutions whose top executives receive a top-up payment. I watched coverage of the Public Accounts Committee meetings with the HSE where they discussed this. I noted the outrage of all present and their desire that such institutions should suffer financially because of such arrangements. But then the issue of “contractual” arrangements was mentioned. I have heard this called the “Because I’m worth it” disease. We saw this situation develop in many financial institutions also and the contract (or disease) had to be left until the institution could rid itself of the contract. Indeed it would appear there are some in the HSE, Department of Health and other advisers in Government Buildings who also feel such worthiness!
Within the HSE it appears, there is a long-standing acknowledgment that such payments were being made. It now either has taken funding or will do from these institutions to cover these financial arrangements, but no details have been given.
Yet this money may not be recouped by the HSE if contractual arrangements are proven to be in place and/or if a sufficient business case is made. Will funding then be replaced or will this funding deficit remain?
It seems patients will take the hit, with additional cuts to services, while awaiting details of the grim service plan, while those at the top will carry on regardless. I would hope all such business cases are published, so the hard-pressed patient can see if they are really “worth it.” – Yours, etc,
TRIONA MURPHY,
Chairperson,
Tallaght Hospital
Action Group,
Ballycullen View,
Firhouse, Dublin 24.
Sir, – Michael Anderson (November 27th) makes his first flawed comparison of pay between the Master of Holles Street and CEO of Crumlin hospital, failing to recognise that one has direct clinical responsibilities, in addition to a management role. This is not a small distinction.
However, more egregiously he goes on to compare those “privileged young doctors”, who I can assure you “do for their country” day and night (and the day after again for that matter), with the bankers and politicians whose dodgy deals got us all into this mess.
Would the country miss the ministers, civil servants, clergy or bankers who, as Mr Anderson puts it “shamefully let us down”? And I follow by asking, if the country would miss these hard-working young women?
If the answer to these questions differs, lumping these groups together in blame for damaging public morale and social cohesion would seem to me, inappropriate. Honest hard-working people making a contribution to our nation deserve better than being seen as part of our nation’s problems. – Yours, etc,
(Dr) NEIL BARRETT,
Leeway Avenue,
Great Shelford.
Cambridge,
England.