Overhaul of Department of Health demanded as some staff left idle

FINE GAEL has called for the complete overhaul of the Department of Health following the leaking of a report showing some staff there have “little or nothing to do” while others are overloaded with work.

The report of the Organisational Review Programme (ORP), which is looking at modernisation of the public service, said there was an “uneven” quality of leadership within the department, it suffered from high levels of sick leave and was constantly fighting fires rather than carrying out its central role of policymaking.

It also found that rather than serving the needs of the public, the department is more focused on attending to the needs of the Minister for Health and other politicians.