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LAST UPDATE | 14 May 2020
LETTERS PUBLISHED TODAY show the HSE expressed concern over last month’s announcement by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) that testing for Covid-19 would be significantly expanded to cover 100,000 suspected cases a week.
The Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan made the announcement in April that the 100,000 tests per week would be carried out on a seven-day week basis for a minimum of six months.
The letters show that the announcement was made without clearance from the HSE, which is tasked with carrying out the testing.
A letter from the HSE chief executive Paul Reid to the department’s secretary general, Jim Breslin, states “regrettably, I was taken very much by surprise by Dr Holohan’s letter” on the expansion of Covid-19 testing.
The letters have been described as “explosive” by Labour leader Alan Kelly, who claimed that it shows that NPHET made a “solo run” on announcing the ramping up of testing without clearance from the Cabinet subcommittee or the HSE.
‘Explosive’
In the Dail today, Health Minister Simon Harris denied that the letters were explosive, saying that ”back and forth” between officials doesn’t mean there is tension.
He said there are members of the HSE on the NPHET and that the process works well.
In the correspondence to the secretary general, the HSE boss says “generally speaking, I have a good sense of the general direction of travel in advance of formally receiving the NPHET actions which are then progressed and monitored closely through the HSE’s National Crisis Management Team (NCMT) which I chair”.
He adds that Dr Holohan’s announcement around testing was “at odds” with the process engaged with at Cabinet committee level and in meetings with the country’s top civil servant, Department of the Taoiseach Secretary General Martin Fraser.
“They are also at odds with the process in place with the HSE Board,” states the HSE chief executive.
This evening, Holohan responded to the letters saying that the HSE was involved in the decision-making process in which a recommendation was made around testing capacity.
“The process of decision-making at NPHET is a process that’s collaborative and involves a senior team from both the Department and the HSE, and form a range of other organisations and experts. That’s the process through which this work is done, recommendations are made through that process,” he said.
“The subject matter of the letters is a testing target which the HSE now has in place and has done a huge amount of work over the last couple of weeks to get us into that space.
Reid says in the letter that he attended the Cabinet Committee meeting on 14 April, where he presented a paper setting out the current capacity with regard to testing and tracing.
He outlines that after this, he attended a meeting with Secretary General Fraser and Dr Holohan on 17 April, saying there was no indication the 100,000 testing capacity was going to be announced to the media.
“There was no mention at this meeting of the directions that were to issue from the NPHET that evening,” Reid says.
In the letter, he adds that a committee meeting was scheduled for 20 April to discuss testing and tracing capacity, and at the request of Dr Holohan, the HSE said it would develop a paper for consideration and approval by NPHET later that week.
‘Extremely disappointed’
“Given that all of this was agreed, I am extremely disappointed that these understandings appear not to have been respected. I’m at a loss as to why this direction from the NPHET to the HSE was given and publicly communicated without completing the jointly agreed processes and without regard to appropriate governance,” says Reid in the letter.
“The directions set out effectively attempted to commit the HSE to an intensity of implementation which bears absolutely no resemblance to that which we previously discussed and has taken no account of what can be achieved by when.”
“All in all, I think this points to the need for far greater cooperation and collaboration on decisions from the NPHET in order to work to the best of our collective abilities to protect the health of the population, our staff and especially those who are most vulnerable.”
HSE Chair Ciarán Devane separately wrote to the minister to express his and the board’s “disquiet” and requested changes to the nature of the relationship between NPHET and the HSE.
In the letter to the minister, Devane complained that NPHET did not take account of the HSE’s capabilities in reaching the 100,000 figure.
He raised concerns that the announcement made by Dr Holohan “went even further” than was agreed, adding that it “both cut across and pre-empted the process which had been agreed to develop the implementation plan in order to meet and exceed the target of 100,000 tests per week”.
He made suggestions for changing the process of communication, so as to “avoid misunderstanding”.
He also suggested that Dr Holohan and the Secretary General have a short call with the HSE Chief Executive and the Chair of the HSE twice a week “to ensure alignment and to anticipate issues which may cause problems for all of us down the track”.
In an attachment to the letter, Devane says:
There is a need for improved discussion and collaboration concerning decisions of the NPHET, so that the health system’s collective capacity can be best deployed to protect the health of the population, our staff and especially those most vulnerable.
Accountability
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Labour Party leader Alan Kelly said the contents show serious failings of governance and accountability, and raises questions about how the Covid-19 testing targets were arrived at.
He said the letters show that denials by the Government and NPHET about tensions over governance were false.
“We still don’t know why the testing target was made public when it was obvious a pathway was still to be put in place, and that the HSE had made clear it would not be able to get to that. Why did the Taoiseach, Minister for Health and CMO continuously deny that such tensions existed when they obviously did. There is now firm evidence of NPHET announcing policy without consulting key stakeholders, the most obvious and fundamental of all being the HSE,” he said.
“I am concerned that we will face the same issue with wider stakeholders now that NPHET advice has to be balanced against non-Covid mortality and economic and social reopening of the country,” he added.
Kelly said it is a huge issue that the chief executive of the HSE had to write such letters. He said further questions remain as to why NPHET have yet to publish up to date minutes of their meetings, and why no clarification has been given as to how people have been appointed to NPHET.
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Do not give a private organisation public funds unless there will be some public ownership. After forking out 50 million on pairc ui caoimh, not 1% belongs to the public. Sick of this corporate welfare. Heineken where able to buy out a profitable competitor and close it down. To get its hand on the site why don’t they cough up the cash.
Heineken have sold their share of the site to BAM.
The reasoning behind the government backing it without part ownership is that everything they invest they’ll get back through indirect tax builders prsi etc.. it’s worth 17million to the economy year on year ,that’s what Coveney was saying anyway on the radio.
The real scandal here is the €30m gift that was given to Pairc ui Chaoimh / GAA which gives them an income stream for the next 40 years from matches, concerts, conference … all for promising to hold one or two rugby games, which if they do happen, the GAA will charge extortionate rent to allow happen.
and do you think if the gaa wanted to use the aviva that it would be for free
If we won the bid for the 2023 world cup , it’d be worth around 2billion to the economy. All those matches concerts and conferences would contribute big money to the local economy as well. It’s about time cork has some decent investment in infrastructure. There is literally nothing there now!!
2 billion to the economy? Maybe in the press release for the bid but I seriously doubt it contribute a tenth of that. Look at Brazil and south Africa both where fleeced for hosting the world cup with not much to show for it. Let’s build a north ring road, a few hospitals before we build things that will be used once or twice a year
That was football and they’re two countries that had to build brand new stadiums and infrastructure. We have the stadiums and infrastructure in place. It was worth over a billion to new Zealand economy in 2011, who didn’t have to build anything stadiums either, so take into account inflation, increased interest in the sport, the amount of jobs it would create, I reckon the 2billion would be accurate enough. When has Ireland built roads that weren’t funded by the eu? the orthopaedic hospital is a fine building and they shut it, the south infirmary has no a&e now and the mercy’s a&e has been scaled back tenfold so the hospitals are there they just need to be managed properly. I agree with you cork needs all those things but it also needs a decent stadium and an events centre. The events centre will be in use at least 3times a week as well to make it profitable. Live nation the company taking control have said that’s the minimum it’d take to make it profitable. If the park brings in the likes of Springsteen a handful of times a year it’s well worth it to the local economy. Improving the stadium would also bring more Munster finals and even a replay or two as well.
Get the finger out lads. Get it built. #cork needs it
It’s the worst place to build an event centre, surrounded by narrow streets and one way systems. The whole site will become a student village.
It’s a pity o Callaghan properties didn’t get it,I feel it would of being up and running a few years now,it’s actually a wind up that no construction has started yet
I think every contractor who has worked for BAM in the past has a very good notion what is going on, who is delaying it and why it’s taking so long.
@Guybrush Threepwood:
Aren’t BAM the winning contractor in the National Childrens hospital also, which has also mysteriously increased in price by €400 million.
This is pitiful. City council in cork couldn’t get a helium balloon off the ground. A city’s vibrancy depends on a venue like this, and cork sorely needs it. The population of the city has hardly grown in the last 40yrs, a terrible indictment. It’s tumbleweed barre Friday Saturday nights. This is the opportunity to energise the city midweek. City council has an innate fear of progress…Oh, so like there might be large crowds in the city centre midweek…noooo down with that sort a thing. Pathetic
Why should a event centre be funded by the tax payer ??? There are more important issues in the country that need funding !
This event centre has the potential to deliver many millions not only for the local Cork region but for the state in increased spend by event tourism,just look at the numbers the Marquee concerts attract every summer,and why not raise the extra finance needed through crowd funding or kickstarter,i and many others would support such a venture, its a no brainer.
Cant believe places like the Lobby and especially Sir Henrys went. That was a great night club! Why did they do it?? Sir Henrys was iconic. The site for this new centre is great. Stones throw from city centre and located near Finbarrs. Hope it happens.
The naievety of the press and the public on this matter is astounding.
Firstly, the site is unsuitable. Desireable but ultimately unworkable.
Take a look at the trafgic chaos at 8.45am and 5.30pm on the Grand Parade/Washington St and ask yourself how it would be possible to accommodate an extra 2000 cars – where would they all park ?
Secondly, the proposed capacity is too small. The CEO of Live Nation (then Clear Channel) told me at a meeting in 2005 that any Cork events centre would need to be from 6500 – 8000 seats to be commercially viable – otherwise it would only ever draw 2nd rate artists, or the ticket prices would be ubworkable. We subsequently saw the old Point Depot grow from 5000 to 12500 seats.
Thirdly, Joe Gavin, our ex City Manager proferred up to €8m of City Council money towards such a centre, but, as an equity investment, for a share of ownership. That was awarded to the now insolvent Howard Holdings for the site on the Marina.
Our proposal for an 8500 seat centre in the old Showgrounds site in conjunction with the Munter Agricultural Society was shot down by Joe Gavin at the deciding council meeting.
Live Nation (Clear Channel) have sonce thrown their weight behind various projects/suggestions, all of low seat numbers – why would they want to split artists runs between two venues ( with double set-up costs etc) when they could keep everything in the 3Arena with No real competition ?
South Main street is wrong – BAM look like they mainly want to biuld accommodation and get the taxpayer to pay for it. A small centre will fail and kill off the Opera House & Everyman Theatre.
The city has now given away half the Showgrounds for c€1m to the GAA (Even though they paid the Munster Agricultural Society over €11.5m for the site).
There is still one site in Cork city suitable for this centre, with access, parking and enough space for equipment delivery and storage , but the right parties with the right motovation have to be
involved or Cork will still be waiting in another 20 years and at the mercy of commercial greed and manipulation of those who monopolise this industry.
We have already been SHAFTED by the DAA and Norwegian Air and the government because they must have known of the Dublin / Shannon flights yet it was projected as Cork 1st International connection. Basically we were used as a Trojan Horse under the nose of our local politicians who seem to me to be headless or asleep.
You lost me there Tony.
@Teddyzigzagbigbag: he is talking about the Dublin airport authority which run cork airport… and its lack of flights to anywhere… again more cork people heading eastwards to travel anywhere… our city is blocked on all fronts by vested interests sadly…
Let’s not mention trying to park 2000 cars..that’s 3 people per car..on that Warren of little streets in the area.
The 12 million was allegedly earmarked for more dressing rooms and a larger crew area for sets and extra rigging, if they ever wanted to hold attract international acts like Disney on Ice etc.
To go and then apply for planning for extra student accommodation puts a new slant on the affair as this suggests the 12 million will be used not for purpose.
Either way it be benefits the developer personally.
If they want another 12million I would suggest it be as a top up of the taxpayers initial ” investment ” making the taxpayer a very healthy percentage partner. This makes it more palatable than just handing it over and being told you’ll get it back in taxation prsi and footfall over the next ” how-many ” years etc etc
The archeological dig hasn’t started properly yet so that’ll add another delay as this area was the once great South Gate to the original city.
I sincerely hope it goes ahead as it’s well needed as I’m broke from driving to Dublin for gigs.
I think there’s a long road ahead though with many more twists and turns.
On a Side note It’ll be exciting times for developing in that part of the city as BAM also have planning for a hotel and offices in the old tax office across the bridge from the ” event Centre” and there’s a new development planned for the Brooke’s building on south terrace. Busy times ahead
Heineken dumped on BAM and they are blackmailing the council because development costa in Ireland are crazy. Nothing is ever built on budget.
Build it somewhere else. Beamish & Crawford is an iconic building and should not be dwarfed by this monstrosity. It is the wrong site and I do not see why €30 million of scarce public money should be given to BAM for a project which will only create further headaches for the city. Access is woeful, parking totally inadequate. If being built at all it should be built on the outskirts of the city, somewhere close, for instance, to the Park & Ride on the Kinsale Road with free shuttle buses. Cork City Council is itself in dire straits, is not building enough social housing (despite Coveney’s media hype) and has more important priorities. It also owns its own, admittedly small concert hall and has a major role in the not-for profit Cork Opera House. The Opera House is an important part of Cork city’s cultural life yet has been struggling for years. It will almost certainly go under if the event centre goes ahead. In the 1990s politician after politician was lining up looking for public funding to be put into the Green Glen’s Arena in Millstreet,. Cork City Council also put money into Cork Swansea Ferries – twice – where are they now? This will become a bottomless pit. The last two years of wrangling and missed deadlines should serve as a warning.
There’s been nothing done with the event centre site since there was talk of the marina being back on the agenda. It’s going to become a honeypot for BAM as the government will throw money at it until it’s complete.
Harder to explain the delay when the massive shopping centre right in the centre of the city absolutely flew up.
Another point is that if they are trying to fit more student accommodation and a multi purpose venue then it is clear that there aren’t even plans at this stage for the convention centre, are they going to start throwing up walls and hope for the best.
This is going to take a load from Simon Coveney’s fighter jet money
have your say