AN EXTERNAL consultancy report has found that foreign trips undertaken by HSE staff as part of the controversial Skill programme were appropriate and represented value for money.
However the report, drawn up by former Ibec chief Turlough O’Sullivan, has criticised senior management in the HSE for not identifying serious problems associated with the Skill operation at an earlier stage.
He said delegations on the trips associated with the Skill programme were “excessively large and included personnel whose relevance/value is questionable”.
“These included some retired officials, individuals who provided consultancy services of one kind or another and spouses”.
However he said that those who had taken part in the trips had not broached official regulations.
Mr O’Sullivan said the original aims of the Skill programme – to train and upskill lower-paid staff in the health service – were sound.
The governance document for Skill and the way it was set up contributed to the eventual shortcomings in management, governance and administration, he said.
“In my considered view, the very many shortcomings in governance indicate a serious failure by management at a number of levels including the most senior management. It should not have taken so long to come to the conclusion that there were serious shortcomings in many aspects of the Skill operation and to take appropriate action”
Mr O’Sullivan also found there were serious failures in how funding allocated by the Government, via the HSE and Skill programme to the trade union Siptu was established “without appropriate governance procedures and controls”.
Mr O’Sullivan said it was clear from a variety of sources that the fund to the health division of Siptu had been established “with political support”.
