Latest news with #EilishHardiman
Irish Examiner
03-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
'I have nothing to hide': New role for former chief of scandal-hit CHI cost State €123k in legal fees
The State incurred a legal cost of €123,000 in creating a new role for the former CEO of Children's Health Ireland at her same salary after the minister for health declined to renew her contract. Eilish Hardiman, who had been on medical leave in October 2023 when it became clear she would not be given a third term at the helm of CHI, subsequently took legal action in order to ensure her continued employment. Addressing the issue at the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday morning, Ms Hardiman acknowledged that the terms of the settlement which saw her appointed as strategic programme director at CHI last year on an equivalent salary to the CEO of €184,000 are subject to a non-disclosure agreement. However, she insisted: 'I have nothing to hide." She said she could not waive the terms of that NDA in order to address the matter further at the PAC as two other people were also involved in the agreement and would also have to waive their right to confidentiality. Then minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, ruled that Ms Hardiman's contract should not be renewed in late 2023 amid the fallout from several scandals at CHI, including the insertion of non-medical grade springs into the spines of children during surgery and the alleged carrying out of unnecessary hip dysplasia surgeries on other children. Ms Hardiman said that she had retained legal counsel when it became clear her contract would not be renewed due to 'an employment law matter', that being that she was entitled to a contract of indefinite duration as she had worked two separate five-year contracts as the head of CHI. The committee heard that the legal cost of the mediation talks between Ms Hardiman and CHI which led to her re-appointment in the alternate role amounted to €123,000 after tax, and that bill had been footed by the Chief State Solicitor's Office. 2021 report CHI's new chief executive Lucy Nugent said that 'in hindsight' the organisation should have informed both the Comptroller and Auditor General and the NTPF about a 2021 report into issues surrounding waiting list management, including the fact that a consultant had allegedly referred public patients to his own private weekend clinics. She said, however, that the first she had heard about the report was when she received a media query regarding same in May of this year from the Sunday Times. Asked why she had not informed her successor about the report during the handover of the CEO function, Ms Hardiman said that 'a lot of the issues in the report had been addressed'. She said the report was confidential and 'never intended to be shared'. 'The issues were known to management and had been raised with the HSE. What's most important is that it was raised through the proper channels,' Ms Hardiman said. She conceded that she had never raised the matter with the Medical Council, something Ms Nugent has done recently on two occasions. When asked why the matter had not been raised with the gardaí, as it had been by the HSE, Ms Nugent said she did not believe that the threshold for escalating matters in that fashion had been reached, adding that she did not believe the funds of the NTPF had been misused with regard to what had transpired.
RTÉ News
19-06-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Spotlight on CHI far from over after tense committee hearing
Today's appearance by Children's Health Ireland before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health was a very tense and difficult affair. For the committee members, it left many questions unanswered, along with a sense of disbelief about the scale and gravity of events that have unfolded for children and parents. Committee chairperson Padraig Rice, of the Social Democrats, set the scene by saying he struggled to know where to start, noting that they could be there for days at the hearing. Some believed that all confidence in the CHI Board and management was now gone. There remain big questions about the ability of CHI to move to the new National Children's Hospital next year against this background. CHI has a lot of work to do to regain the trust of parents, the public and the political system, and it will likely be back before this committee soon for continuing scrutiny. Former CHI Chief Executive Eilish Hardiman expressed "heartfelt" sympathy for what actually happened. Committee members pointed out that the main events occurred on her watch. She is the Strategic Programme Director at CHI, and will have a key role in the move to the new hospital. The recently appointed Chief Executive Lucy Nugent apologised to families and promised to have CHI regain trust. Senator Tom Clonan said the events were a scandal of international dimensions, accusing CHI of running a three-ring circus and of having a toxic and broken culture with abhorrent work practices. Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane said that what was happening at CHI was frightening. There were questions about why some patients referenced in the unpublished internal review in a range of specialties, may have been affected by a lack of timely intervention, and why CHI has not been in contact with parents to notify them of this potential issue. Fine Gael TD Brian Brennan said it could all amount to one of the biggest medical malpractices in the history of the State. No one is quite sure how and when it will all end. Plus we learned of tension between the HSE and CHI, after claims that the HSE had been notified about the 2022 internal review report around that time. But the HSE told the committee the first its CEO Bernard Gloster and the HSE Regional Executive Officer learned about it was last month. CHI also took a different view to referring the report to An Garda Siochana, believing it did not meet the threshold for referral. The HSE decided to refer it recently. Another major report on spinal surgeries is due soon. And just 60 children out of 1,800 who had hip surgeries since 2010 have been reviewed to date under a lookback programme, which is expected to take six months to complete. There is a long and difficult road ahead for CHI, which has said there are no other live reports which are not in the public domain. The committee heard that a new CHI Director of Operations started on 9 June and the deputy CEO will start on 7 July.
The Irish Sun
17-06-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
‘We need accountability & transparency', warns Dail health watchdog as CHI to face grilling over series of scandals
THE HEAD of the Dail's health watchdog has warned bosses at underfire Children's Health Ireland that full accountability and transparency is needed when they face TDs and Senators later this week. The body that runs our children's The latest issue to hit CHI saw an internal report reveal a culture of This shocking report also unveiled problems with the handling of waiting lists that resulted in some children being left waiting too long for much needed surgeries that they could have got from other doctors. CEO Lucy Nugent, ex-chief Eilish Hardiman, clinical director Ike Okafor, and Head of Spinal Surgery David Moore are set to face the Watchdog chairman Padraig Rice has warned CHI bosses that he will demand full accountability and transparency when they come before TDs and Senators. Read more in News He told the Irish Sun: 'We need to see some accountability and transparency. 'We need them to start answering some of the questions we're putting to them and we need to see a culture change. 'There are lots of things that do need to change at CHI. 'They are going to be responsible for the transfer to the National Children's Hospital – one of the largest health infrastructure and capital projects in the history of the State. Most read in the Irish Sun 'We have to ensure that we're handing the keys of that hospital to a safe pair of hands and that it will be managed well. 'There have been a series of scandals and a series of issues with CHI and I think there are serious questions for CHI on how it is being managed, the internal culture, the internal communications, the working arrangements there, bullying. 'You are going to have to remove me from this Chamber,' Senator shouts as fury sparked over surgery waiting lists 'They have a lot of issues to address and a lot of that starts with changing that culture and core to that is transparency and accountability not just to the Oireachtas but to parents and to families.' The Social Democrats TD said that 'trust in CHI is on the floor for parents' and he believes the leaders of the State body need to work to restore that trust. Our Kids Can't Wait Campaign WAITING lists in Ireland have long been a national disgrace. More than 106,000 children are on hospital waiting lists for all treatments. However, a new source of shame has emerged as 327 children wait for life changing spinal surgeries. Their conditions are getting worse while they languish on waiting lists. Such are the delays, many child patients will be outside the therapeutic window when their treatments are approved. Earlier this month, the Seanad heard how at least one child has become permanently paralysed since the issue was raised publicly before Christmas. Their plight has been spearheaded by campaigning Senator Tom Clonan, who himself has a child with a disability. Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has even admitted that the health service is failing these kids. Children are being allowed to deteriorate due to mismanagement, which has allowed the waiting lists to grow. The Irish Sun's Kids Can't Wait campaign aims to shine a light on how the State is failing sick children and give their families a voice. It will also force the Government to do something to clear the backlog of operations and give these children a chance of living a normal life. 1 CHI's CEO Lucy Nugent is among those set to be grilled Credit: PR Handout image
Irish Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
The Public Accounts Committee returns, and is already making headlines
Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: The Public Accounts Committee returned on Thursday and already it was making headlines with revelations about former Children's Health Ireland boss Eilish Hardiman 's salary. PAC is apt at generating headlines with leaked opening statements and TDs eager to make their name a staple for the Dáil committee. A move towards fiscal caution as Fine Gael's Neale Richmond signals planned tax cuts may have to be abandoned unless a trade deal with the US can be agreed. Will one-off cost-of-living payments be absent from Budget 2026? The plan to introduce mandatory alcohol warning labels could be reconsidered amid the potential impact of US tariffs on the sector. And a ban on the sale of energy drinks to under 18s won't be a reality until the 'necessary evidence-gathering, research and examination of appropriate policy options and stakeholder engagement' is achieved. Plus, Minister for Housing James Browne backed out of meeting with Dublin Lord Mayor Emma Blain to discuss issues relating to the tenant-in-situ scheme. Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week: What can Dublin learn from San Francisco's regeneration ? Collapsing cottages , dereliction and land hoarding , and should people in Northern Ireland get to vote in Irish presidential elections ?
Irish Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Former Children's Health Ireland boss kept salary of almost €184k in new role
The former chief executive of Children's Health Ireland (CHI) kept her existing salary of almost €184,000 when she was appointed to a new role in the organisation. Eilish Hardiman, the former chief executive, was appointed as CHI's strategic programme director last year. The issue was among those discussed at the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday as it was updated on the financial statements of more than 100 State bodies. CHI runs the existing children's hospitals at Crumlin , Temple Street and Tallaght and will be in charge of the new National Children's Hospital (NCH) once it is completed. READ MORE At the PAC, Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) Seamus McCarthy drew attention to a settlement agreement at CHI that saw its former chief executive appointed to the new strategic director role on her existing pay. Mr McCarthy later said such settlements 'will typically have a non-disclosure agreement' and CHI 'were reluctant to make any disclosure in relation to either the fact or the content of that settlement so there isn't any further information in the financial statement'. The PAC agreed to write to CHI to seek information on the matter. Ms Hardiman was not named at the committee, nor was her remuneration level as former chief executive identified during the meeting. CHI's 2023 annual report puts Ms Hardiman's remuneration that year at €183,866. CHI told The Irish Times it 'cannot comment on employment matters pertaining to its staff.' [ CHI unable to move in to national children's hospital due to continued delays Opens in new window ] A new CHI chief executive, Lucy Nugent, took up the role in January this year. Last year, The Irish Times reported on how the CHI board said Ms Hardiman was being reassigned to the strategic role following 10 years as its chief executive. The board said at the time that it was Government practice to appoint State-body chief executives on five-year contracts, with no more than two contracted periods. The Department of Public Expenditure set down a number of conditions when it gave approval for the strategic programme director position on foot of a business case drawn up by the Department of Health which set out the importance of the role. These conditions included that the creation of the role would be 'facilitated by the suppression of an equivalent (national director) post in the HSE [Health Service Executive]'. Separately, the PAC heard that €250,000 in claims made to private insurers by CHI during 2023 were rejected – or were expected to be – as they had not been submitted in time. Mr McCarthy said this was 'a loss of potential income.' Fine Gael TD James Geoghegan suggested that the €250,000 'simply evaporated because procedurally the relevant forms weren't submitted'. The PAC is to seek an explanation of the issue and what actions were taken. CHI told The Irish Times the €250,000 represented around 70 invoices raised in respect of treatment to patients admitted as private patients and 'to put this in context, there were almost 25,000 inpatient admissions (both public and private) in 2023.' It said total private income in 2022 was around €15m. CHI said it has 12 months to submit invoices to insurers which compares to up to six years that consultants previously had to submit claims. It said matter was included in the 2023 financial statements which were signed off by the CHI Board and 'The related figure disclosed within the 2024 draft Statement on Internal Control amounts to [€200,000].' It added: 'Whilst measures and controls continue to be reviewed and enhanced to mitigate against the likelihood of this arising, CHI is ultimately reliant upon the timely submission of all third parties invoices in order to ensure that the CHI invoices are paid.' It said that in 2024 CHI retained 'an external agency to proactively challenge insurers, on a clinical basis, re: previously rejected claims' and it has successfully recouped €400,000.
