Fergus Finlay: The HSE needs to be broken up — not into regions, but into functions

We need one agency to run Ireland’s 50 or so hospitals, one to provide services in the community, and one to provide mental health, disability, and wellbeing services

Only around 40% of the HSE’s enormous budget is spent on hospitals

Another week, another tragedy. Another family plunged into irreparable grief and the inevitable long fight for accountability and justice. Another terrible blow to reputation. Another week in the life of the HSE.

I’ve just finished a five-year term on the board of the HSE. I was angry not to be re-appointed, because I believed, perhaps delusionally, that there were significant changes to which I could contribute with a bit more time.