Committee to question HSE officials over reforms

Officials from the Department of Health and the HSE will face questions from the Public Accounts Committee today.

The group will quiz Dr Ambrose McLoughlin and Tony O'Brien on a number of key issues.

These include agency staff, the cost of overtime, the impact of absenteeism, and whether new contracts for consultants will deliver savings.

PAC chairman John McGuinness has said the overall rate of absenteeism in the health service stands at 4.9% so far this year, but the target was put at just 3.5%.