New HSE chief will be paid more than the world’s third largest employer

CATHAL Magee, the Government nominee to become the next chief executive of the HSE in September, is to be paid a salary of €322,000.

That is €17,000 per annum more than the salary scale of David Nicholson, the chief executive of the British NHS in 2009. The salary scale of the NHS chief executive ranges from €305,000 to €312,000, including taxable benefits and allowances. The NHS has a budget of €120bn and, with 1.7 million employees, it is the third largest employer in the world after the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Wal-Mart and Indian Railways.

The Government ought to have been well able to recruit a chief executive of the HSE from one of the national health service systems around the world whose standards and competence are such that these would represent an enhancement of what all of us must currently endure.

It is noteworthy the EBS paid Mr Magee €10,500 more in 2009 for his non-executive role as chairman of the its risk committee than was specifically recommended in the case of this building society by the Department of Finance in February 2009. At least someone is not suffering too much pain as a consequence of the woes at EBS.

What prospect is there for taxpayers obtaining better value and greater efficiency in our health service if the basic discipline to achieve this is not clearly evident at the top of the HSE?

Myles Duffy

Glenageary

Co Dublin