The Health Minister says St John of GodÂ’s must pay back millions paid to staff in top-ups.
The Irish Times reported this morning on a HSE recommendation that the order repay 12 million euro in secret payments over 30 years.
Minister Simon Harris says the payment of top-ups is clearly forbidden and must be repaid;
The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God issued a statement this afternoon;
Dublin 3rd July 2017: The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God and Saint John of God Community Services, confirm their receipt of the final report from the HSE, following a HSE review and internal audit of payments to fourteen senior managers in November 2013 and other matters. The Order, along with Saint John of God Community Services has at all times co-operated fully with the HSE in the course of the audit review process.
The report is detailed and it will take time to properly review and assess the numerous findings and recommendations which are addressed to the Order, to Saint John of God Community Services and to the HSE. Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God accepts there are lessons to be learnt.
In terms of payments by the Order to the Saint John of God Community Services, the Order has directly subsidised Saint John of God Community Services the sum of €16 million over the past four years alone. In addition, a portion of the salaries paid to executives was funded by way of a management charge paid by the Order to Saint John of God Community Services and therefore did not result in an additional cost to the Exchequer.
The Order and Saint John of God Community Services expect to receive written communications from the HSE in the near future, following-up on the recommendations in the report.
Following due consideration of this communication from the HSE in response to the report findings, the Saint John of God Community Services is committed to working with the HSE in the period ahead in looking to address the report recommendations.
Saint John of God Community Services will be engaging with HSE concerning a number of the recommendations in the report which are complex and on which clarification is required. Rather than respond to leaks in the media, it will engage directly with the HSE regarding the recommendations.
