Education body board member resigns in protest

A HIGHER Education Authority (HEA) board member has resigned in protest at the transfer of the Department of Health’s secretary general, Michael Kelly, to the Authority as full-time chairman.

Following the damning Travers Report on illegal nursing home charges, Mr Kelly stepped down as the Department’s top civil servant and was transferred to the HEA as chairman retaining his €166,000 salary.

The Travers Report found that senior officials, more than ministers, had to bear the bulk of responsibility for the failure to act on these illegal charges over three decades, despite repeated warnings.

HEA board member Barry O’Brien said yesterday that he was resigning his position on the Authority because Mr Kelly’s appointment was “problematic” for him on a number of fronts.

“This hasty move (Mr Kelly’s appointment) is in my personal opinion, in contravention of the principles of recommended best practice in the public sector,” Mr O’Brien said.

Up to now the post of HEA chairman was not full-time or salaried, but the Government’s decision to appoint a full-time salaried chairman to the HEA is also at variance with both the wishes of the Authority and the recommendation of the OECD Review Group, Mr O’Brien said.

“I am of the firm opinion that the role of chairman and chief executives in State bodies should remain distinct.”

Mr Kelly could not be reached for comment yesterday, because he does not take up his new post until next month.

A Department of Education spokeswoman said they had no comment on Mr O’Brien’s criticisms because this was a Government appointment, but she said Mr Kelly would be one of the key drivers of the proposed reform of the third-level sector.