Section 39 pay deal administration
Deputy Tully questioned why the HSE plans to outsource administration of the section 10, 39 and 56 pay award and what it will cost. The Tánaiste said the bodies were not HSE organisations, argued against micromanaging agency decisions, and maintained that boards should retain autonomy while employees are paid efficiently and on time.
The only point I would make in response to Deputy Tully is that it is important that the organisations in question and their employees get funded. They are not HSE organisations, which perhaps explains why the HSE is outsourcing it. There is a tendency for us to micromanage every agency in the country. The HSE is not every agency, and do not get me wrong on that, but we appoint boards and CEOs are appointed. This House has to achieve a balance in how much it micromanages every agency in terms of who gets severance payments, how they are paid and how the agency fulfils its duties. What we in this House should do is lay down policy, pay the organisations and ensure they are accountable-----
Comment on this
-----for the efficiency and timeliness of their employees getting paid. I question whether we should micromanage every single decision that a CEO or board makes. The HSE has a board. That board’s members are appointed and they are accountable to the House eventually and they appear before the various committees. My comments are not targeted at Deputy Tully. There is just a general trend now for us to get embroiled in every decision that boards and agencies make. Either the State runs them directly or-----
