HSE under fire over ‘secret’ advisers

A HORSE trainer and a property developer are among a “secret” group of 17 people advising the Health Service Executive (HSE) on reconfiguration of health services in the South.

The existence of the group, chaired by property developer Michael O’Flynn, was confirmed yesterday on foot of an Irish Examiner query to the HSE South.

Among the members of the high-profile non-executive advisory board, set up last year, are racehorse trainer Aidan O’Brien and president of University College Cork Dr Michael Murphy. Leading business figures on the board include Padraig O’Riordan, managing partner of law firm Arthur Cox Solicitors; Paul Breen, former executive vice president of Elan Corporation; Sean O’Driscoll, chief executive of Glen Dimplex; and Kevin Kenny, tax partner Ernst & Young.