HSE accused of not wanting Health Forum meetings to go ahead during five-month union dispute
services and the people that we serve. With all due respect to yourself, that is not factually accurate.
CLAIMS that HSE management deliberately there were some taut exchanges as Mr “The track record of us managers, did not engage with a union Canavan rejected out of hand claims and I am pointing directly at myself, during a dispute which suspended by Cllr Bree that the HSE had treated is demonstrated by our attendance, meetings of the Regional Health Forum him and his fellow members of the our participation, our contribution to West for a five-month period because forum with “contempt”. answers, our honest answering of the they didn't want the meetings to take Cllr Bree revealed that he had questions, our engagement with yourselves place were made by Sligo councillor to enact a request via Freedom of consistently over many, many Declan Bree this week who blasted the Information legislation mid-way years, so I would reject outright your behaviour of the HSE as “disgraceful through the four-meeting impasse suggestion that in some way that ‘management', and outrageous”. to clarify if they HSE had or had not as you have described us,
In a brief verbal shootout between sought a derogation from the Forsa have behaved in anything less than an the Sligo councillor and Tony Trade Union that could have seen appropriate way in this circumstance. Canavan, Executive Chairperson, meetings take place. “The simple facts of the matter in Saolta University Health Care Group, He said the HSE's Freedom of this case are that in my role as executive Information Officer had confirmed to chairman I asked our director him on February 13, 2024, that the HSE of Human Resources (HR) to engage had not sought any derogation which with Forsa in respect of the four meetings. the Sligo politician claimed was confirmation I asked him to specifically engage for him that the HSE were and ask if the forum meetings could quite happy over a five-month period proceed. not to have the four meetings that were “We can debate the use of terms cancelled not to take place. such as ‘derogation' but I am absolutely
He said: “That is clear evidence satisfied that i asked Forsa, in that senior evidence in the HSE in the the context of the dispute that was country decided specifically that no taking place if the forum meetings request for a derogation would go in, could continue, and that question was they didn't want the forums working asked on my behalf by our director of and they succeeded, they undermined HR and we received an answer and we the work of the forums for the last five dealt with that accordingly. months, it is disgraceful, and it is outrageous, “I want to be very clear [in my and I make no apology for response] on behalf of myself, all saying that. The HSE knows I am telling other managers you have referred to the truth, I am not personalising to in your comments. I completely reject any one individual, I am saying that at what you have just said with respect to a national level the HSE did this, but our behaviour.” then again, I wouldn't be surprised by Cllr Bree replied: “I will say management that.” made a deliberate decision
Tony Canavan, Executive not to seek derogation. This nonsense Chairperson, Saolta University Health about engaging with union officials is Care Group, said he appreciated the nonsense. I have been in Trade Unions level of frustration of members when long enough to know that anyone in meetings are cancelled. HR knows very well that there is only
He refuted the claims made by Cllr one mechanism to deal with an industrial Bree: “Your comments Cllr Bree are dispute if you want something. suggestive of management in the HSE, You must formally seek a derogation. and I include myself in this, that we The dogs on the street know how it's in some way don't value the Regional done. We are paying big bucks to people Health Forum. That we don't value in HSE management and the HR the interaction that takes place, that section, they know how industrial we don't see the benefit of it for the relations work, they know there is news@sligoweekender.ie
Financial Controller: advertising@sligoweekender.ie only one mechanism, and we have it from the Freedom of Information Officer that no derogation request was submitted by the national office [of the HSE] to Forsa, so that tells the tale.
“That is clear evidence that senior evidence in the HSE in the country decided specifically that no request for a derogation would go in, they didn't want the forums working and they succeeded, they undermined the work of the forums for the last five months, it is disgraceful and it is outrageous and I make no apology for saying that. The HSE knows I am telling the truth, I am not personalising to any one individual, I am saying that at a national level the HSE did this, but then again, I wouldn't be surprised by that.”
Mr Canavan: “Management isn't a nameless/faceless person in respect of this decision. I am the person responsible for the engagement which took place with Forsa, and I am quite satisfied with the outcome from that and the decisions we took on foot of that, and to be very clear, I absolutely on behalf of myself, because I made that decision, and on behalf of all my colleagues who have committed to this forum for many, many years and in many different ways, reject what you [Cllr Bree] have just said, I reject what you have said about our behaviour.”
Cllr Bree: “Can I just ask, why did you just not ask for a derogation?”
Mr Canavan: “I have said all I am going to say.”
Cllr Bree: “Why? Give us a straight answer. That's a straight question, you were asked month after month to seek a derogation, why did you not do so? Mr Canavan: “Because.”
Cllr Bree (interrupting his reply): “Because the management of the HSE, as an organisation, decided there would be no request for a derogation, that's the reason why. I'm not blaming you, I am blaming management, there was more than you made this decision. You can't explain it to us?”
Mr Canavan: “Well, it would seem you are quite happy to both ask questions and answer them, so I am quite happy to leave you to do that.”
Cllr Bree: “So, you are refusing to answer?”
Cllr Donagh Killilea, chairperson of the forum: “I think with respect, the answer was given, whether it is accepted or not is another [matter]. Whether you accept that or not.
Cllr Bree: “We have no choice but to?”
Cllr Killilea: “I think so, we will move on.”