Members of the North Eastern Health Board last night voted to reject its service plan for the coming year for which the Department of Health has provided an allocation totalling €483.1 million.
The decision comes shortly after the Minister for Health appointed a management consultant to work alongside the board's chief executive officer, Mr Paul Robinson, following the death of Bronagh Livingstone.
The motion to reject the service plan for the north-east region, covering Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Meath, was proposed by the Cavan-Monaghan TD, Mr Paudge Connolly, who was elected to the Dáil earlier this year as a hospital candidate.
He said: "This is a rejection of both the inadequate funding for the board from the Department of Health as well as a rejection of the health board executive."
He accused the executive of focusing more on removing services than retaining them, saying: "I feel they put their energy into removing services from local hospitals in Dundalk, Monaghan and Navan, and if they put the same effort into securing funds we would be in a happier position."
The board voted by 14-9 to reject the plan, with a number of members criticising what they said was the inadequate funding given by the Department of Health to the board to meet the health needs of its population.
In its submission to the Department for an increased allocation for this year the NEHB pointed to its 12.7 per cent growth in population, the highest of any health board in the State.
A breakdown of the capital allocation per head of population shows the NEHB receives €1,400, the lowest of all boards. The average is €1,688.
The chairman of the health board, Mr Declan Breathnach (FF) was one of the nine who voted to approve the service plan despite expressing his concern about underfunding,