Health will require an additional €500m in funds due to an overspend in the HSE, Health Minister Simon Harris told the Dáil, amid warnings hospital managers will have to stay within their budgets.

The Wheel, a resource organisation for charities and voluntary groups, described Section 38 agencies to me as “arms of the State in all but governance”. But shouldn’t all arms of the State be headed by the State? Isn’t governance all important?

All health bodies giving top-ups to senior officials will be hauled before the head of the HSE between now and Christmas to explain how they will “immediately” end the ‘second salaries’ culture.

Only seven hospitals and health agencies comply with public sector pay rules, health chiefs have revealed today.

CONSIDERABLE improvements have been made in relation to hygiene at one of the hospitals assessed in the first two individual hospital hygiene quality reports by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

OVERCROWDING, lack of hygiene, risk of infection and “appalling” standards of care.