Health Act 2004
Number 42 of 2004
HEALTH ACT 2004
REVISED
Updated to 4 August 2021
This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the Health Act 2004. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.
All Acts up to and including the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 (32/2021), enacted 23 July 2021, and all statutory instruments up to and including the European Union (Alternative Investment Fund Managers) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. No. 414 of 2021), made 4 August 2021, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to
revisedacts@lawreform.ie.
Number 42 of 2004
HEALTH ACT 2004
REVISED
Updated to 4 August 2021
Introduction
This Revised Act presents the text of the Act as it has been amended since enactment, and preserves the format in which it was passed.
Related legislation
Child Care Acts 1991 to 2015: this Act, s. 75 is one of a group of Acts included in this collective citation to be construed together as one (Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 (45/2015), s. 16(2)). The Acts in this group are:
• Child Care Act 1991 (17/1991)
• Children Act 2001 (24/2001), Part 2 and s. 267
• Health Act 2004 (42/2004), s. 75, in so far as it amends the Child Care Acts 1991 and 2001
• Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007 (26/2007), s. 1(3) and Part 2 s. 21, in so far as it amends the Child Care Acts 1991 and 2001
• Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011 (19/2011), other than ss. 27, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37 to 45, 47 and 49
• Child Care (Amendment) Act 2013 (5/2013)
• Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 (9/2015), s. 175
• Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 (45/2015), other than ss. 14 and 15
Children Acts 2001 to 2021: this Act, s. 75, is one of a group of Acts included in this collective citation to be construed together as one (Children (Amendment) Act 2021 (6/2021), s. 2(2)). The Acts in this group are:
• Children Act 2001 (24/2001)
• Health Act 2004 (42/2004), s. 75, in so far as it amends the Children Act 2001
• Criminal Justice Act 2006 (26/2006), Part 12
• Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007 (26/2007), Part 3 (except s. 21)
• Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011 (19/2011), ss. 27, 32, 33, 37 to 45 and 47
• Children (Amendment) Act 2015 (30/2015), Parts 1 and 2
• Children (Amendment) Act 2021 (6/2021)
Health Acts 1947 to 2020: this Act is one of a group of Acts included in this collective citation, to be construed together as one (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (23/2020), s. 1(2)). The Acts in this group are:
• Health Act 1947 (28/1947)
• Health Act 1953 (26/1953) (citation only)
• Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act 1960 (46/1960) (citation only)
• Health Act 1970 (1/1970)
• Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 (12/1977), s. 36 and s. 42 in so far as it amends the Health Acts 1947 to 1970 (citation only)
• Health (Family Planning) Act 1979 (20/1979)
• Health (Amendment) Act 1986 (10/1986)
• Health (Amendment) Act 1987 (3/1987)
• Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 (23/1990)
• Health (Amendment) Act 1991 (15/1991), other than s. 8
• Health (Amendment) Act 1994 (11/1994)
• Health (Amendment) Act 1996 (15/1996)
• Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1996 (23/1996)
• Health (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 1996 (32/1996), other than ss. 21 and 22
• Health (Provision of Information) Act 1997 (9/1997)
• Health (Eastern Regional Health Authority) Act 1999 (13/1999)
• Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2001 (14/2001), except in so far as it relates to the Tobacco (Health Promotion and Protection) Act 1988 (citation only)
• Health Act 2004 (42/2004)
• Health (Amendment) Act 2005 (3/2005), in so far as it amends the Health Acts 1947 to 2004
• Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (3/2006), Part 5
• Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006 (17/2006)
• Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Act 2006 (22/2006), except s. 6
• Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Act 2007 (1/2007)
• Health Act 2007 (23/2007)
• Medical Practitioners Act 2007 (25/2007), s. 57(9) (citation only)
• Health Act 2008 (21/2008)
• Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 (25/2009), s. 64
• Health (Amendment) Act 2010 (15/2010) (citation only)
• Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2010 (20/2010)
• Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011 (19/2011), ss. 35 and 36 (citation only)
• Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2013 (10/2013)
• Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 (14/2013), s. 30 (citation only)
• Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013 (23/2013)
• Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Act 2013 (42/2013) (citation only)
• Local Government Reform Act (1/2014), the amendment to the Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act 1960 provided for in section 5 (6) and sch. 2, part 6.
• Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Act 2014 (17/2014)
• Health (General Practitioner Service) Act 2014 (28/2014)
• Health (General Practitioner Service) Act 2015 (19/2015)
• Health (General Practitioner Service) Act 2018 (13/2018)
• Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2019 (17/2019), other than Part 3
• Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2020 (11/2020)
• Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (23/2020), Part 2 (s. 5)
Acts previously included in the group but now repealed are:
• Health Act 1954 (23/1954)
• Health and Mental Treatment Act 1957 (16/1957), s. 1
• Health and Mental Treatment (Amendment) Act 1958 (37/1958), s.1
• Health (Homes For Incapacitated Persons) Act 1964 (8/1964)
• Health and Mental Treatment (Amendment) Act 1966 (2/1966), s. 1
• Health (Mental Services) Act 1981 (17/1981)
• Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Act 1985 (4/1985)
• Health (Amendment) Act 2004 (19/2004)
• Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2019 (8/2019), Part 2 (s. 4)
Annotations
This Revised Act is annotated and includes textual and non-textual amendments, statutory instruments made pursuant to the Act and previous affecting provisions.
An explanation of how to read annotations is available at
www.lawreform.ie/annotations.
Material not updated in this revision
Where other legislation is amended by this Act, those amendments may have been superseded by other amendments in other legislation, or the amended legislation may have been repealed or revoked. This information is not represented in this revision but will be reflected in a revision of the amended legislation if one is available.
Where legislation or a fragment of legislation is referred to in annotations, changes to this legislation or fragment may not be reflected in this revision but will be reflected in a revision of the legislation referred to if one is available.
A list of legislative changes to any Act, and to statutory instruments from 1972, may be found linked from the page of the Act or statutory instrument at
www.irishstatutebook.ie.
Acts which affect or previously affected this revision
• Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2019 (17/2019)
• Data Protection Act 2018 (7/2018)
• Workplace Relations Act 2015 (16/2015)
• Freedom of Information Act 2014 (30/2014)
• Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Act 2014 (17/2014)
• Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (14/2014)
• Local Government Reform Act 2014 (1/2014)
• Child and Family Agency Act 2013 (40/2013)
• Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013 (23/2013)
• Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 (41/2011)
• Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011 (19/2011)
• Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 (24/2010)
• Health (Amendment) Act 2010 (15/2010)
• Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 (15/2009)
• Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2007 (42/2007)
• Medical Practitioners Act 2007 (25/2007)
• Health Act 2007 (23/2007)
• Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Act 2007 (1/2007)
All Acts up to and including Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 (32/2021), enacted 23 July 2021, were considered in the preparation of this revision.
Statutory instruments which affect or previously affected this revision
• Health Act 2004 (Section 40H) (Relevant Day) Order 2019 (S.I. No. 412 of 2019)
• Health Act 2004 (Complaints) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 519 of 2018)
• Commission of Investigation (Certain matters relative to a disability service in the South East and related matters) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 96 of 2017)
• Local Government (Performance of Reserved Functions in Respect of Municipal District Members) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 231 of 2014)
• Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 480 of 2011)
• Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 418 of 2011)
• Health Service Executive Employee Superannuation Scheme 2010 (S.I. No. 362 of 2010)
• Health Act 2004 (National Health Consultative Forum) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 333 of 2006)
• Health Act 2004 (Complaints) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 652 of 2006)
• Health Act 2004 (Commencement) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 651 of 2006)
• Mental Health Act 2001 (Approved Centres) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 551 of 2006)
• Health Act 2004 (National Health Consultative Forum Appointment of Members) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 479 of 2006)
• Health Act 2004 (Dealings with members of either House of the Oireachtas) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 798 of 2005)
• Health Act 2004 (Regional Health Forums) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 797 of 2005)
• Health Act 2004 (Commencement) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 796 of 2005)
• Health Act 2004 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2004 (S.I. No. 887 of 2004)
• Health Act 2004 (Commencement) Order 2004 (S.I. No. 886 of 2004)
• Health Act 2004 (Establishment Day) Order 2004 (S.I. No. 885 of 2004)
• National Breast Screening Board (Establishment) Order 2004 (S.I. No. 891 of 2004)
All statutory instruments up to and including European Union (Alternative Investment Fund Managers) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. No. 414 of 2021), made 4 August 2021, were considered in the preparation of this revision.
Number 42 of 2004
HEALTH ACT 2004
REVISED
Updated to 4 August 2021
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Preliminary Matters
Section
1.
Short title, collective citation and construction.
2.
3.
4.
5.
5A.
Establishment and Functions of the Health Service Executive
6.
7.
Object and functions of Executive.
8.
Agreements between Executive and public authorities concerning performance of functions.
9.
Informal arrangements between Executive and local authorities concerning performance of functions.
10.
10A.
Settings of priorities by Minister.
10AA.
10B.
Limitation as to exercise of powers under sections 10 and 10A.
The Board of the Health Service Executive
11.
Membership of Board. (Repealed)
12.
13.
Conditions of office. (Repealed)
14.
Removal of members from office. (Repealed)
15.
Committees of Board. (Repealed)
16.
Remuneration and expenses of members of Board and committees. (Repealed)
Chief Executive Officer
16A.
Directorate of Executive. (Repealed)
16B.
Term of office of appointed director. (Repealed)
16C.
Role of Directorate. (Repealed)
16D.
Appointed directors — eligibility for appointment and removal from office. (Repealed)
16E.
Appointment of Director General. (Repealed)
16F.
Eligibility for appointment as Director General. (Repealed)
16G.
General functions of Director General. (Repealed)
16H.
Delegation of functions by Director General. (Repealed)
16I.
Attendance by Director General before Oireachtas Committees. (Repealed)
16J.
16K.
Meetings and procedure of Directorate. (Repealed)
16L.
Vacancies in membership of Directorate. (Repealed)
16M.
Committees of Directorate. (Repealed)
Chief Executive Officer
16N.
16O.
16P.
16Q.
Membership of either House of Oireachtas or European Parliament.
16R.
16S.
Removal of all members of Board from office.
16T.
16U.
Remuneration and expenses of members of Board and committees.
Chief Executive Officer
17.
Appointment of chief executive officer. (Repealed)
18.
Functions of chief executive officer and their performance by deputy. (Repealed)
19.
Delegation of functions. (Repealed)
20.
Chief executive officer to be accounting officer. (Repealed)
21.
Attendance of chief executive officer before Oireachtas Committees. (Repealed)
Chief Executive Officer
21A.
Appointment of chief executive officer.
21B.
Resignation, removal or disqualification of chief executive officer.
21C.
Functions of chief executive officer.
21D.
Delegation and subdelegation of functions.
21E.
Accountability of chief executive officer to committees of Houses of Oireachtas.
21F.
Membership of either House of Oireachtas or European Parliament.
21G.
Acting chief executive officer.
Employees and Advisers
22.
23.
24.
Standards and Disqualifications
25.
26.
Unauthorised disclosure of confidential information.
27.
Accountability
28.
29.
Executive to prepare and submit corporate plan for Minister's approval.
30.
Publication and implementation of approved corporate plan.
30A.
Minister to determine net non-capital expenditure of Executive.
31.
Executive to prepare and submit service plan for Minister's approval.
32.
Amendment of approved service plan.
33.
Implementation of approved service plan.
33A.
Power of Minister to make grants to Executive
33B.
Determination by Minister of capital funding and submission by Executive of capital plans
34.
Minister's permission needed for major capital spending. (Repealed)
34A.
Functions of Director General under this Part
34B.
Appearance of Director General before Committee of Public Accounts
35.
36.
37.
38.
Arrangements with service providers.
39.
Assistance for certain bodies.
40.
furnishing of information and documents
40A.
40B.
Duty of Executive to furnish information.
40C.
Requirement to furnish information and documents.
40D.
Minister may share information and documents in certain circumstances.
40E.
Use of information and documents.
40F.
Accounting officer and audit committee
40G.
Director General to be accounting officer of Executive for specified period.
40H.
40HA.
Provisions supplementary to section 40H
40I.
Public Representation and User Participation
41.
National Health Consultative Forum.
42.
43.
44.
Other advisory panels to be established on Minister's direction.
Complaints
45.
46.
47.
Time limit for making complaints.
48.
Matters excluded from right to complain.
49.
Complaint and review procedures to be established.
50.
Refusal to investigate or further investigate complaints.
51.
Restriction on type of recommendations complaints officers may make and power to suspend implementation of recommendations.
52.
Adherence to complaint and review procedures to be condition of arrangements with service providers.
53.
Minister to make regulations for purposes of this Part.
54.
Referral of complaints to Ombudsman or Ombudsman for Children.
55.
Annual report to include report on complaints and reviews.
Protected Disclosures of Information
55A.
Definition of expressions in this Part.
55B.
Protected disclosure of information by an employee of a relevant body.
55C.
Protected disclosure of information by an employee of a designated centre.
55D.
Protected disclosure of information by an employee of a mental health service provider.
55E.
Protected disclosure of information in relation to regulated professions.
55F.
Applications and complaints about health professionals to be protected disclosures.
55G.
Protected disclosure of information: monitoring, investigations and inspections.
55H.
Duty of relevant body to establish procedures.
55I.
55J.
Duties in respect of protected disclosures.
55K.
Disclosure to a Scheduled body.
55L.
Protection from civil liability of persons who have made a protected disclosure.
55M.
Protection of employees from penalisation for having made a protected disclosure.
55N.
Proceedings before Labour Court. (Repealed)
55O.
Enforcement of determinations of Labour Court. (Repealed)
55P.
55Q.
55R.
Continuity of employer’s business.
55S.
55T.
Dissolution of Certain Health Bodies and the Transfer of their Functions and Employees, etc., to the Executive
56.
57.
Dissolution of Comhairle na nOspidéal and transfer of its functions.
58.
Dissolution of health boards and other specified bodies.
59.
Transfer of functions of specified bodies to Executive.
60.
Transfer of employees of specified bodies to Executive.
61.
Transfer of pension liabilities relating to former employees of specified bodies.
62.
Transfer of property and liabilities to Executive.
63.
Preservation of contracts, etc., and adaptation of references.
64.
65.
Preservation of orders, notices, rules, records, etc.
66.
References to specified bodies.
67.
Functional areas of dissolved health boards.
68.
References to chief executives of dissolved health boards. (Repealed)
69.
References to deputy chief executives of dissolved health boards. (Repealed)
70.
Dissolution of bodies established under Health (Corporate Bodies) Act 1961. (Repealed)
71.
Final accounts of specified bodies and other dissolved bodies.
72.
Executive to prepare final annual report for specified bodies and other dissolved bodies.
Repeals, Transitional Provisions and Amendment of Other Acts
73.
74.
Savings and transitional provisions.
75.
Miscellaneous Provisions
76.
Effect of delegation and subdelegation of functions.
77.
Certificate evidence concerning delegation of functions.
78.
General power to make regulations and orders.
79.
Regulations relating to members of either House of Oireachtas.
80.
Laying of regulations and orders before Houses of Oireachtas.
81.
82.
83.
References to Board and chief executive officer.
Acts Referred to in Definition of Health and Personal Social Services
Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to the Executive and the Board
Bodies and office-holders referred to in Part 9A as Scheduled Bodies
Transfer of Functions and References to Functional Areas
Repeals and Revocations
Savings and Transitional Provisions
Amendment of Other Acts
Acts Referred to
Adoption Act 1952
Adoption Act l988
Adoption Act l991
1991, No. l4
Adoption Act l998
Adoption Acts l952 to l988
Adoption Acts l952 to l998
Adoptive Leave Act 1995
Births and Deaths Registration Acts l863 to l996
Blind Persons Act l920
1920, c.49
Carer's Leave Act 2001
2001, No. l9
Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act l991
Child Care Act 1991
1991, No. l7
Child Care Acts 1991 and 2001
Children Act l997
Children Act 2001
Children Acts l908 and l989
Civil Registration Act 2004
Committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Compellability, Privileges and lmmunities of Witnesses) Act 1997
1997, No. l7
Companies Act l990
Comptroller and Auditor General Acts l866 to l998
Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993
Data Protection Acts l988 and 2003
Dentists Act 1985
Domestic Violence Act 1996
Domestic Violence Acts l996 and 2002
Education Act l998
Education (Welfare) Act 2000
Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004
Ethics in Public Office Act l995
European Communities Act 1972
European Parliament Elections Act l997
Family Law Act l995
Family Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997
Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Act 1976
Finance Acts l989 to 2002
Freedom of Information Act l997
Freedom of Information Acts l997 and 2003
Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act l998
Guardianship of Infants Act 1964
Harbours Act l946
Health Act 1947
Health Act 1953
Health Act 1970
Health Acts 1947 to 1953
Health Acts l947 to 2001
Health (Amendment) Act 2004
2004, No. l9
Health (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 1996
Health (Corporate Bodies) Act 1961
Health (Eastern Regional Health Authority) Act 1999
Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2001
2001, No. l4
Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1 990
Housing Act l988
Housing Acts l966 to 2002
Housing (Miscellaneous Pro visions) Act 1997
Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998
Immigration Act 1999
Immigration Act 2003
International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs Act 1987
Irish Medicines Board Act l995
Licensing of Indoor Events Act 2003
Local Authorities (Officers and Employees) Act 1926
Local Government Act 2001
Maternity Protection Act 1994
Marriages (Ireland) Act 1844
1844, c. 81
Medical Practitioners Acts l978 to 2002
Mental Health Act 2001
Mental Health Acts 1945 to 2001
Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts l973 to 2001
Misuse of Drugs Act 1977
Misuse of Drugs Act 1984
Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 and 1984
National Beef Assurance Scheme Act 2000
National Development Finance Agency Act 2002
Notification of Births Acts l907 and l915
Nurses Act 1985
1985, No. l8
Ombudsman Act 1980
Ombudsman Acts l980 to l984
Ombudsman for Children Act 2002
Organisation of Working Time Act 1997
Parental Leave Act 1998
Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act 2000
Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003
Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001
Protection of the Environment Act 2003
Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998
Poisons Act 1961
Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002
Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004
Public Health (Tobacco) Acts 2002 and 2004
Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004
Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act l919
1919, c. 72
Redundancy Payments Acts l967 to 2003
Refugee Act 1996
Registration of Marriages (Ireland) Act 1863
1863, c. 90
Registration of Maternity Homes Act 1934
Residential Tenancies Act 2004
Sex Offenders Act 2001
Social Welfare Acts
Standards in Public Office Act 2001
State Lands (Workhouses) Act 1930
State Lands (Workhouses) Act 1962
Tobacco (Health Promotion and Protection) Act 1988
Tobacco Products (Control of Advertising, Sponsorship and Sales Promotion) Act l978
Unfair Dismissals Act l977
Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 to 2001
Unfair Dismissals (Amendment) Act 1993
Vocational Education Act l930
Youth Work Act 2001
Number 42 of 2004
HEALTH ACT 2004
REVISED
Updated to 4 August 2021
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A BODY TO BE KNOWN AS FEIDHMEANNACHT NA SEIRBHÍSE SLÁINTE OR IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS THE HEALTH SERVICE EXECUTIVE AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISSOLUTION OF THE EASTERN REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, THE NORTHERN AREA HEALTH BOARD, THE EAST COAST AREA HEALTH BOARD, THE SOUTHWESTERN AREA HEALTH BOARD, THE HEALTH BOARDS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE HEALTH ACT 1970 AND CERTAIN OTHER BODIES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DISSOLVED BODIES AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO THE HEALTH SERVICE EXECUTIVE; TO ESTABLISH MECHANISMS FOR INVOLVING PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES, USERS OF HEALTH AND PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN MATTERS RELATING TO THOSE SERVICES; TO ESTABLISH A STATUTORY FRAMEWORK FOR HANDLING CERTAIN COMPLAINTS RELATING TO HEALTH AND PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES; TO ESTABLISH MECHANISMS FOR THE FUTURE DISSOLUTION OF CERTAIN OTHER HEALTH BODIES AND FOR THE TRANSFER OF THEIR FUNCTIONS AND EMPLOYEES TO THE HEALTH SERVICE EXECUTIVE; AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [17th December, 2004]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS: