Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2026
903. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on a breach of public pay scales identified at a hospital (details supplied); the steps taken to date to ensure that the hospital complies with public pay policy; if this matter has been resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53603/26]
View answerAll voluntary hospitals are required to implement salary structures in accordance with the Consolidated Salary Scales, as sanctioned by the Department of Health and approved by the Department of Public Expenditure Infrastructure Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
Compliance with public sector pay policy is a clearly defined condition within the Service Level Agreements between the Health Service Executive (HSE) and each voluntary hospital. Adherence to these terms is a prerequisite for the allocation of public funding.
The recent disclosure concerning the remuneration of the CEO of St John’s Hospital in Limerick is concerning. It has come to light that the salary approved by the hospital’s Board exceeds the sanctioned salary scale for a CEO working in a hospital of its classification, in breach of public pay policy.
The Department of Health in its correspondence with the HSE has been very clear that breaches of pay policy cannot be tolerated, and that any such breach must be rectified immediately.
