HSE board meeting minutes 27 and 28 January 2026

Present

Mr Ciarán Devane (Chairperson), Dr Yvonne Traynor, Mr Brendan Whelan, Mr Aogán Ó Fearghail, Mr Tim Hynes, Ms Anne Carrigy, Mr Matt Walsh, Mr Kenneth Mealy, Ms Lily Collison, Mr Michael Cawley and Mr Patrick Bailey.

In Attendance for Board Meeting

Mr Bernard Gloster (CEO), Mr Damien McCallion (CTTO), Mr Michael Lane (Acting CFO), Mr Pat Healy (ND Services and Schemes), Ms Sandra Broderick (REO Mid West), Ms Kate Killen White (REO Dublin & Midlands), Mr Tony Canavan (REO West North West), Dr Andy Phillips (REO South East), Mr Joseph Duggan (Chief Internal Auditor), Dr Colm Henry (Chief Clinical Officer), Mr Patrick Lynch (ND Planning and Performance), Ms Anne Marie Hoey (Chief People Officer), Mr Mark Brennock (ND Communications), Mr Joe Ryan, (National Director, Public Involvement, Culture and Risk Management), Mr Brian O’Connell (ND Strategic Health Infrastructure and Capital Delivery), Ms Sara Maxwell (CEO Office), Mr Dara Purcell (Corporate Secretary), Ms Niamh Drew (Deputy Corporate Secretary), Ms Patricia Perry (Office of the Board).

Minutes reflect the order in which items were considered and are numbered in accordance with the original agenda. All performance/activity data used in this document refers to the latest information available at the time.

The Chairperson welcomed members to the meeting and provided an update to the Board during their private session.

2.1 Declarations of Interest

No conflicts of interest were declared.

2.2 Chairperson’s Remarks

The Chairperson provided an update to the Board on a number of matters that would be discussed during the meeting.

2.3 Ministerial Correspondence

The Board noted the following correspondence.

• Letter from Minister for Health re 2025 Final Approved Level of Net Expenditure dated 23 December 2025,
• Letter from Minister for Children, Disability and Equality re 2026 Revised Level of Expenditure dated 27 January 2026.

2.4 Minutes of Board meeting

The Board approved the minutes of the Board meeting of 19 and 22 December 2025.

2.5 Matters for Noting

The Board noted the update regarding the Transition of Sickle Cell patients, as requested at the December 2025 meeting.

3.1 Audit and Risk Committee

The minutes of the Committee meeting of 12 December 2025 were noted. The Committee Chairperson provided an overview to the Board on the matters considered at the Committee meeting that took place on 23 January 2026.

The Board held a discussion on the following areas:

• Private Health Insurance Claims Settlement and DPER Sanction involving a hospital, with further assurance required from hospitals to a national survey. The Chair noted that the Committee will continue to review this matter.
• The Chair informed the Board that the Committee had raised concerns about the low response rates from the Health Regions for the Procurement Compliance Self-Assessment, including both completed and outstanding returns. The Board highlighted the importance of the need to focus on the implementation of recommendations. The Board welcomed the noted improvement in finance implementation of recommendations.

3.2 Performance Committee

The minutes of the Committee meeting of 11 December 2025 were noted. The Committee Chairperson provided an overview to the Board on the matters considered at the Committee meeting that took place on 22 January 2026.

Having reviewed the National Performance Report, the Chair highlighted to the Board a number of service performance areas that had been discussed by the Committee and noted that the Committee had welcomed the additional commentary provided relating to Urgent and Emergency Care; Planned Care, Cancer services and timely access to urgent colonoscopy services, and Primary Care Therapies. He also informed the Board that the Committee had welcomed the upcoming Planning and Performance Data Hub and expressed support for the project and the continued development of performance reporting structures. A quarterly briefing on Older Persons had been presented, and the Committee had discussed the policy landscape and upcoming changes to the regulatory framework under the Health (Amendment)(Home Support Providers) Bill 2025. An update was provided to the Committee on CHI timelines.

CEO joined the meeting.

4.1 CEO briefing to Board

The CEO briefed the Board on several matters in private session.

4.2 CEO Monthly Report

Members of the Senior Leadership Team joined the meeting.

The CEO reported to the Board on a number of the key significant areas as set out in the CEO Monthly Report.

The CEO updated the Board on Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC), highlighting the continued implementation of seven-day executive oversight throughout the winter period, including Christmas and the early New Year. He noted that this has been a season of highly unpredictable demand, fluctuating significantly in both directions. While several sites have demonstrated marked system improvements, others have continued to experience sustained challenges and periods of intense operational pressure.

The Board noted the comparative analysis of performance in 2025 versus 2024, as well as reflections on the first ten days of January, and the key points outlined by the CEO.

In relation to Scheduled Care, the Board noted recent media coverage concerning year-end waiting list data. The CEO advised that there has been continued maintenance and growth in performance in line with Sláintecare timeframes, alongside a significant reduction in the number of patients waiting over 48 and 24 months. He also highlighted opportunities for further reform, as reflected in the 2026 Waiting Time Action Plan, which is due to be launched by the Minister for Health in the coming days. The Plan underscores the ongoing commitment to improving access to hospital care and further reducing patient waiting times.

In relation to the NSP 2026, the CEO reported to the Board that all aspects of the planning process have been completed and that performance agreements have been issued and are expected to be finalised in the coming days. The Board noted the CEO’s planned attendance at the Joint Committee on Health scheduled for 04 February 2026 to discuss the NSP 2026.

The CEO advised the Board that he had attended the Audit & Risk Committee meeting on 23 January 2026 to brief the Committee on the financial position. He reported that the HSE reached the cash management position at year end by circa €40m in cash available, and achieved a slight but encouraging positive Income & Expenditure, subject to final accounts, on the health side and a negative variance on the disability side which was as expected and is now corrected for 2026.

The CEO reported to the Board in relation to the health sector workforce report at December 2025 which showed a positive variance in both heath and disability portfolios. He outlined that the Pay and Numbers strategy principles must be closely controlled if the organisation is to maintain the position now achieved with Government and DPER. He advised the Board that the primary target for 2026 is in the domain of Agency staffing. The Board discussed the implementation of the Public Only Consultant Contract (POCC) and the number of consultants core rostered on site evenings and weekends. It was agreed that a position paper would be submitted to the Board.

The CEO outlined to the Board his recent engagements with site visits and meetings at a number of hospitals and several national media interviews.

The Board noted that the CEO continues to conduct handover engagements with the CEO designate.

National Performance Report

The monthly National Performance Report (NPR) November 2025 data was presented to the Board. The Performance Committee also reviewed this at its meeting on 22 January 2026. The Board approved the November 2025 NPR for submission to the Minister for Health, and Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE), and noted that once submitted, the NPR will be published on hse.ie.

5.1 Contracts & Properties

As recommended by the Audit & Risk Committee for approval, the Board considered and approved the following proposed contracts and properties:

1. 1. 1. Contract Award for the Construction of the new 30 Bed Inpatient Ward Vertical Extension at University Hospital Kerry, South West Region Decision No.: 270126/01
      2. Disposal of Scarriff Health Centre, Waterville, Co. Kerry Decision No.: 270126/02
      3. Proposed Acquisition of a building in Cherrywood for use as a Primary Care Centre & ECC Hub Decision No.: 270126/03
      4. Proposed Strategic Acquisition of Lands, Limerick Decision No.: 270126/04
      5. Supply of Natural Gas to HSE & Health Sector Decision No.: 270126/05
      6. DPS Tender for the Provision of Orthopaedic Implants, Accessories, Consumables and Support Services Decision No.: 270126/06
      7. National Contract for Phlebotomy and Blood Collection Product Decision No.: 270126/07

The Board, CEO and members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) held a facilitated strategic discussion on four topics:

1. Senior Leadership Development/Succession Planning
2. The control and management non-pay costs through 2026 and beyond
3. Productivity
4. Planning for developing the skills to implement and use Electronic Health Records and Population Data

A programme of work will be developed by SLT based on the Board inputs and discussion and brought back to the March 2026 Board meeting.

There was no further business. The meeting concluded on Wednesday 28 January at 16.30pm.