MINISTER for Education Batt O’Keeffe has said it is a “moral call” for Health Service Executive (HSE) chief executive Brendan Drumm whether or not he accepts a €70,000 bonus.
Prof Drumm was approved for the payment by the board of the HSE for work carried out in 2007.
Commenting on the bonus, Mr O’Keeffe said the professor was legally entitled to the money. “I think it is a judgment call for Prof Drumm,” he said.
“He is aware of the difficulties that pertain, the budgetary situation within the HSE, and really it is a moral call for him in the circumstances.”
Minister for the Environment John Gormley also said it was a matter for Prof Drumm. “Those are the contractual arrangements and we’re not going to interfere with that. That’s a matter for Prof Drumm himself, it is his call,” he said.
“We were as a Government very anxious to ensure that there were no further bonus payments because clearly the country at this stage cannot afford that.” He also said the Programme for Government was very clear on the whole question of bonuses and how it had to be overhauled. There had been no bonuses in 2008 or 2009, which was the correct decision, he said.
“In relation to this specific case, I would say it is up to Prof Drumm to decide whether he takes the bonus or not, it is part of his contract,” he added.
Mr O’Keeffe and Mr Gormley were speaking at the launch of a report commissioned by the Private Residential Tenancy Board.
Minister for Health Mary Harney said she was not going to get into the morality of the issue.
“I’m not in the business of giving people lectures about morals. I don’t believe it’s appropriate,” she said.
At a press conference about the new children’s hospital yesterday, Ms Harney was asked about Mr O’Keeffe and Mr Gormley’s comments. “That’s a matter for them. I’m simply stating my position,” she said.
The Minister rejected Labour leader Eamon Gilmore’s claim made in the Dáil yesterday morning, that she had powers under the Health Act 2004 to instruct the HSE on the matter.
“It allows me to give directions in relation to policy, not in relation to contractual issues,” Ms Harney said. “I’ve no role in relation to individual contracts. That’s a fact. I cannot use the powers under the 2004 Act to give a direction in this area.” Asked if Prof Drumm had been due to attend yesterday’s press conference, Ms Harney said he had not.
Ms Harney said his bonus was a matter for the board, adding such bonuses were not exclusive to the management of the HSE.
Details of broadcasters’ salaries published last week had been negotiated in a very different environment as well, she said.
“The package that Prof Drumm was on as CEO of the HSE for a five-year period was agreed with him when he started his position in 2005, under that package there was provision for a bonus subject to the HSE board.”
She said bonuses across the public sector had been “in my view appropriately suspended”.