Reasons unclear for Hiqa board resignations

Three board members of the State’s independent health watchdog group, Hiqa, have stepped down “to reduce the risk” of “real, potential or perceived conflicts of interest” in their work.

The Department of Health has confirmed Mo Flynn, Darragh O’Loughlin, and Linda O’Shea-Farren all left the Health Information Quality Authority board at the start of this month over the potential issue. The move means a quarter of the board has now departed.

Ms Flynn, chief executive of Our Lady’s Hospice, and Ms O’Shea-Farren, a solicitor, both departed after serving on the board since February last year. Mr O’Loughlin, a pharmacist, had been in place since September 2012.