1.— (1) This Act may be cited as the Health Act 2004.

(2) The Health Acts 1947 to 2001 and this Act may be cited together as the Health Acts 1947 to 2004 and shall be construed together as one.

2.— (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

“Act of 1996” means the Health (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 1996;

“Act of 1999” means the Health (Eastern Regional Health Authority) Act 1999;

“annual report” means a report prepared under section 37;

F2[…]

F2[…]

“Area Health Board” has the same meaning as in the Act of 1999;

F3[“Board” has the meaning assigned to it by section 16N;]

“carer” means a person who provides care for another person, but who is not employed to do so by any body in the performance of its functions under an enactment;

“chairperson” means the chairperson of the Board;

F3[“chief executive officer” has the meaning assigned to it by section 21A;]

“clinical judgment” means a decision made or opinion formed in connection with the diagnosis, care or treatment of a patient;

F4[“Committee of Public Accounts” means the Committee of Dáil Éireann established under the rules and standing orders of Dáil Éireann to examine and report to Dáil Éireann on the appropriation accounts and reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General;]

F1[“Directorate” means the Directorate established under section 16A;]

F1[“Director General” means the person holding the office of Director General appointed pursuant to section 16E;]

“Eastern Regional Health Authority” means the body of that name established by section 7 of the Act of 1999;

“enactment” means a statute or an instrument made under a power conferred by a statute;

“establishment day” means the day appointed by the Minister under section 4 to be the establishment day for the purposes of this Act;

“Executive” means the Health Service Executive established under section 6;

“functions” includes powers and duties and references to the performance of functions include, with respect to powers and duties, references to the exercise of the powers and the carrying out of duties;

“health board” means a health board established under section 4(1) of the Health Act 1970;

“health and personal social services” means services that immediately before the establishment day were provided under the Acts referred to in Schedule 1 by a specified body as defined in section 56 of this Act, and references in this Act to a health or personal social service are to be read as references to any of those services;

“Interim Health Service Executive” means the body of that name established under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act 1961;

“local authority” has the same meaning as in the Local Government Act 2001;

F3[“member”, in relation to the Board, includes the chairperson and the deputy chairperson;]

“Minister” means Minister for Health and Children;

F3[“ordinary member” means a member of the Board other than the chairperson or the deputy chairperson;]

“prescribed” means prescribed by regulation made by the Minister;

“public authority” means any of the following:

(a) a Minister of the Government;

(b) the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland;

(c) a local authority;

(d) a harbour authority within the meaning of the Harbours Act 1946;

(e) a board or other body (but not a company) established by or under statute;

(f) a company in which all the shares are held by or on behalf of, or by directors appointed by, a Minister of the Government;

(g) a company in which all the shares are held by a board, company or other body referred to in paragraph (e) or (f);

(h) such other body, if any, as is prescribed for the purpose of any provision of this Act;

“service provider” means a person who enters into an arrangement under section 38 to provide a health or personal social service on behalf of the Executive;

“superannuation benefit” means a pension, gratuity or other allowance payable on resignation, retirement or death.

(2) In this Act—

(a) a reference to a section, Part or Schedule is a reference to a section or Part of, or a Schedule to, this Act, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended,

(b) a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is a reference to the subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended, and

(c) a reference to an enactment includes a reference to that enactment as amended, adapted or extended at any time by any enactment.

3.— (1) This Act comes into operation on such day or days as the Minister may, by order, appoint.

(2) Different days may be appointed under this section for different purposes or different provisions of this Act and for the repeal or revocation of different enactments by section 73 and Schedule 4.

4.— The Minister shall, by order, appoint a day to be the establishment day for the purposes of this Act.

5.— The expenses incurred by the Minister in administering this Act are, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, payable out of money provided by the Oireachtas.

F6[Expenses of the Executive.

5A.—The expenses incurred by the Executive F7[before 1 January 2015] are, with the approval of the Minister, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, payable out of money provided by the Oireachtas.]

6.— (1) On the establishment day a body to be known as Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte or in the English language as the Health Service Executive is, by this Act, established to perform the functions assigned to it by this Act.

(2) The Executive is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a seal and may—

(a) sue and be sued in its corporate name,

(b) subject to the Health Acts 1947 to 2001, acquire, hold and dispose of land or an interest in land, and

(c) acquire, hold and dispose of any other kind of property.

(3) Paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 applies in relation to the seal of the Executive.

7.— (1) The object of the Executive is to use the resources available to it in the most beneficial, effective and efficient manner to improve, promote and protect the health and welfare of the public.

(2) Subject to this Act, the Executive shall, to the extent practicable, further its object.

(3) Without limiting the Executive's responsibilities under subsection (2) or (4), it has—

(a) the functions transferred to it by section 59 or by an order under section 70 , and

(b) such other functions as are assigned to it by this Act or any other enactment.

(4) The Executive shall manage and shall deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services in accordance with this Act and shall—

(a) integrate the delivery of health and personal social services,

(b) to the extent practicable and necessary to enable the Executive to perform its functions, facilitate the education and training of—

(i) students training to be registered medical practitioners, nurses or other health professionals, and

(ii) its employees and the employees of service providers,

and

(c) provide advice to the Minister in relation to its functions as the Minister may request.

(5) In performing its functions, the Executive shall have regard to—

(a) services provided by voluntary and other bodies that are similar or ancillary to the services the Executive is authorised to provide,

(b) the need to co-operate with, and co-ordinate its activities with those of, other public authorities if the performance of their functions affects or could affect the health of the public,

F8[(c) the policies (whether set out in codes, guidelines or other documents, or any combination thereof) and objectives of the Government or any Minister of the Government to the extent that those policies and objectives may affect or relate to the functions of the Executive,]

(d) the resources, wherever originating, that are available to it for the purpose of performing its functions, F9[…]

(e) the need to secure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of those resources F10[, and]

F11[(f) any standards set by the Health Information and Quality Authority, in so far as practicable and subject to the resources available to the Executive.]

(6) The Executive may undertake, commission or collaborate in research projects on issues relating to health and personal social services, but, in considering whether to do so, it shall have regard to any decision by another body or person within the State to undertake, commission or collaborate in such projects.

(7) The power given by subsection (6) includes the power to collaborate in research projects involving parties from outside the State.

(8) Subject to this or any other enactment, the Executive has all powers necessary or expedient for it to perform its functions.

8.— (1) If any function of a public authority should, in its opinion, be performed (whether generally or in a particular case) by the Executive and the Executive is able and willing to perform the function, the Executive and that authority may enter into an agreement for the Executive to perform the function on the authority's behalf.

(2) If an agreement is entered into for the Executive to perform a function of a public authority, the Executive may—

(a) perform the function on behalf of the public authority in accordance with the agreement, and

(b) do any act or thing relating to the performance of that function that the public authority would be authorised by law to do if it performed the function.

(3) If any function of the Executive should, in its opinion, be performed (whether generally or in a particular case) by a public authority and that authority is able and willing to perform the function, the authority and the Executive may enter into an agreement for the authority to perform the function on the Executive's behalf.

(4) If an agreement is entered into for a public authority to perform a function of the Executive, the public authority may—

(a) perform the function on the Executive's behalf in accordance with the agreement, and

(b) do any act or thing relating to the performance of that function that the Executive would be authorised by law to do if it performed the function.

(5) An agreement under this section may contain terms and conditions relating to—

(a) the extent to which and the period for which a party to the agreement is authorised to perform the function of the other party to the agreement,

(b) the making of payments or the transfer of financial responsibility, and

(c) such other matters as are considered necessary to give effect to the agreement.

(6) An agreement under this section may provide for charges payable by the party on whose behalf the function is to be performed to the other party to the agreement.

(7) The power of a local authority to enter into an agreement under this section is a reserved function of the local authority.

9.— (1) If a local authority is of the opinion that it would be convenient if duties relating to its functions were carried out by an employee of the Executive, those duties may, without an agreement being entered into under section 8 , be assigned by the Executive to any of its employees in the same way as duties relating to its functions.

(2) If the Executive is of the opinion that it would be convenient if duties relating to its functions were carried out by an employee of a local authority, those duties may, without an agreement being entered into under section 8 , be assigned by the local authority to any of its employees in the same way as duties relating to the functions of the local authority.

(3) Duties assigned in accordance with this section may be carried out by the employees to whom they are so assigned.

10.— F12[(1) The Minister may issue general written directions F13[to the Executive or the Board]—

(a) for any purpose relating to this Act or any other enactment,

(b) concerning any matter or thing referred to in this Act as specified or to be specified, or as determined or to be determined, by the Minister, or

(c) concerning the implementation of any policy or objective of the Minister or the Government which relates to a function of the Executive, where the Minister is of the opinion F13[that the Executive or the Board, as applicable, is not having sufficient regard to such policy or objective in the performance of the Executive’s functions].]

(2) In addition, the Minister may issue specific written directions to the Executive concerning the submission to the Minister, in such manner and within such period as the Minister may specify, of—

(a) reports on any matter relating to Part 7 or relating in any other way to the performance of the Executive's functions, even though such reports are the subject of a direction under F13[subsection (1),]

(b) any information or statistics relating to the performance of the Executive's F13[functions, or]

F14[(c) subject to section 10AA(1) and (3), one or more than one health needs assessment (within the meaning of section 10AA(8)) to be implemented by the Executive in the service plan prepared in accordance with section 31.]

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) are not to be taken to limit a power to issue directions conferred on the Minister by any other provision of this Act.

(4) The Minister may, by written direction, amend or revoke any direction issued by the Minister under this Act.

(5) F15[The Executive or the Board, as applicable,] shall comply with a direction issued by the Minister under this Act.

(6) The Minister shall ensure that, within 21 days after issuing a direction under subsection (1) F15[or issuing a direction under subsection (4) amending or revoking a direction issued under subsection (1)], a copy of the direction is laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.

F16[(7) F15[The chairperson shall inform the Minister of the measures taken by the Executive or the Board, as applicable,] to comply with a direction issued under this section and such information shall be furnished to the Minister within such period as may be specified by the Minister.]

10A.— (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4), the Minister may specify—

(a) priorities to which the Executive shall have regard in preparing its service plan under section 31 or amending its service plan under section 32, and

(b) performance targets for the Executive in respect of such priorities.

(2) F18[…]

(3) The Minister shall consult with the Executive before specifying priorities or performance targets under this section and, having so specified such priorities or targets, shall furnish details of these in writing to the Executive.

(4) Before specifying priorities or performance targets under this section the Minister shall have regard to—

(a) best practice as respects the service the subject of the priority or performance target,

(b) outcomes for patients and recipients of services likely to be affected by the priority or performance target which the Minister is considering specifying, and

(c) the effect that specifying the priority or performance target concerned would be likely to have on other services provided by or on behalf of the Executive.

(5) In this section ‘performance targets’ means, as respects priorities specified under subsection (1), levels of performance by the Executive by which the effectiveness of the Executive in meeting such priorities can be measured by the Minister.]

10AA. (1) A direction under section 10(2)(c) shall include specific requirements to be taken into consideration by the Executive when conducting a health needs assessment.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the specific requirements referred to in that subsection may include the effects of such of the following matters on the accessibility and effectiveness of healthcare strategies implemented by the Executive as the Minister is satisfied are appropriate:

(a) changes to national or regional distribution of population;

(b) demographic profile of population;

(c) lifestyle factors affecting health;

(d) patterns of morbidity across population;

(e) patterns of mortality across population;

(f) social determinants of health status.

(3) (a) The Minister shall consult with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform before issuing a direction under section 10(2)(c).

(b) Paragraph (a) shall not be construed to prevent the Minister from consulting with any other person (including the Executive or another Minister of the Government) before issuing a direction under section 10(2)(c).

(4) The Executive shall submit a report of the findings of any health needs assessment to the Minister within the period specified by the Minister in the direction concerned under section 10(2)(c).

(5) (a) Within one month after receiving a report under subsection (4), the Minister shall—

(i) approve the report, or

(ii) if the Minister is not satisfied with the report, issue a supplementary direction under section 10(2)(c) in relation to revisions to be made to the report which, when complied with by the Executive, should, in the opinion of the Minister, remedy the deficiencies in the report.

(b) Where paragraph (a)(ii) applies, section 10(2)(c) and the other provisions of this section (including paragraph (a)) shall be construed with all necessary modifications to take account of the supplementary direction concerned under section 10(2)(c).

(6) The Executive shall ensure that, as soon as practicable after the approval of a report in accordance with subsection (5)(a)(i), the report is published on the Internet or in accordance with such other arrangements as the Minister may specify by notice in writing given to the Executive.

(7) The Minister may issue guidelines in relation to the conduct of a health needs assessment and, if he or she does so, the Executive shall comply with those guidelines.

(8) For the purposes of this section and section 10, ‘health needs assessment’ means a scientific, statistical or other systematic analysis, the purpose of which is to gather and assess information with a view to bringing about change beneficial to the health of a specified part of, or all of, the population.]

10B.— The Minister shall not give a direction under section 10, or specify a priority or performance target under section 10A, as respects—

(a) any function of the Executive relating to the provision of treatment or a health or personal social service to any particular person,

(b) any function of the Executive relating to a decision concerning—

(i) whether or not a particular person is eligible for a particular health or personal social service (including the payment of a grant or allowance), or

(ii) the extent to which and the manner in which a person is eligible for any such service,

(c) any function of the Executive relating to a decision concerning the making or recovery of a charge for the provision of a health or personal social service by or on behalf of the Executive to a particular person or concerning the amount of such charge,

(d) any function of the Executive that has been specified in an enactment to be a function of the F21[chief executive officer] relating to functions referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c).

11.— F22[…]

12.— F23[…]

13.— F24[…]

14.— F25[…]

15.— F26[…]

16.— F27[…]

16A.— F30[…]]

16B.— F32[…]]

16C.— F34[…]]

16D.— F36[…]]

16E.— F38[…]]

16F.— F40[…]]

16G.— F42[…]]

16H.— F44[…]]

16I.— F46[…]]

16J.— F48[…]]

16K.— F50[…]]

16L.— F52[…]]

16M.— F54[…]]

16N.— (1) The Executive shall have a Board (in this Act referred to as the ‘Board’) consisting of the following members:

(a) a chairperson;

(b) a deputy chairperson;

(c) 10 ordinary members.

(2) (a) Subject to paragraphs (b), (c) and (d), the chairperson, the deputy chairperson and the ordinary members of the Board shall be appointed by the Minister from among persons who, in the opinion of the Minister, have sufficient experience and expertise relating to matters connected with the functions of the Executive to enable them to make a substantial contribution to the effective and efficient performance of those functions.

(b) At least 2 of the persons appointed under paragraph (a) shall be persons who, in the opinion of the Minister, have experience of, or expertise in, advocacy in relation to matters affecting patients.

(c) At least 2 of the persons appointed under paragraph (a) shall be persons who are practising, or have practised, as a member of a health profession, whether in or outside the State.

(d) At least one of the persons appointed under paragraph (a) shall be a person who, in the opinion of the Minister, has experience of, or expertise in, financial matters.

(3) The Minister shall, in so far as practicable, endeavour to ensure that among the members of the Board there is an equitable balance between men and women.

(4) The chairperson shall hold office for such period, not exceeding 5 years from the date of appointment, as the Minister shall determine.

(5) The deputy chairperson shall hold office for such period, not exceeding 5 years from the date of appointment, as the Minister shall determine.

(6) Subject to subsection (7), an ordinary member shall hold office for such period, not exceeding 5 years from the date of appointment, as the Minister shall determine.

(7) Of the ordinary members of the Board first constituted under this section—

(a) 5 members shall hold office for a period of 3 years from the date of appointment to the office, and

(b) 5 members members shall hold office for a period of 5 years from the date of such appointment.

(8) Subject to subsection (9), a member of the Board whose term of office expires by the efflux of time shall be eligible for reappointment to the Board.

(9) A person who is reappointed to the Board in accordance with subsection (8) shall not hold office for more than 2 consecutive terms and in any event may not serve for a period of more than 10 years.

(10) A member may resign from office by letter sent to the Minister and the resignation shall take effect on the later of—

(a) the date specified in the letter, or

(b) the date of receipt of the letter by the Minister.

(11) The Minister shall, as soon as practicable after an appointment to the Board, publish in Iris Oifigiúil notice of the name of the person so appointed.

(12) For the purpose of this section, ‘health profession’ means any of the following professions:

(a) dentist;

(b) a designated profession within the meaning of section 3 of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005;

(c) medical practitioner;

(d) midwife;

(e) nurse;

(f) pharmacist.]

16O. (1) If a member resigns, dies, ceases to hold office (other than by effluxion of time), ceases to be qualified to hold office or is removed from office, the Minister shall as soon as practicable appoint a person to fill the casual vacancy so arising.

(2) A person appointed under subsection (1) shall hold office for the unexpired period of his or her predecessor’s term of office or such other period as the Minister may determine not exceeding 5 years including such unexpired period.

(3) A member appointed under subsection (1) is eligible for reappointment to the Board, on the expiry of the unexpired period or other period, as appropriate, referred to in subsection (2), but may not serve for more than 2 further consecutive terms and in any event may not serve for a period of more than 10 years.]

16P.— (1) The Board is the governing body of the Executive with authority, in the name of the Executive, to perform the functions of the Executive.

(2) The Board shall—

(a) satisfy itself that appropriate systems, procedures and practices are in place—

(i) to achieve the Executive’s object,

(ii) for the internal performance management and accountability of the Executive in respect of the Executive’s—

(I) performance of its functions,

(II) achieving objectives in accordance with the corporate plan, and

(III) delivery of health and personal social services in accordance with this Act, and

(iii) in order to enable compliance with the policies (whether set out in codes, guidelines or other documents, or any combination thereof) of the Government or a Minister of the Government to the extent that those policies may affect or relate to the functions of the Executive, and

(b) establish and implement arrangements for the management of the performance of the chief executive officer.

(3) The Board is accountable to the Minister for the performance of its functions under subsections (1) and (2).

(4) The Board may delegate in writing to the chief executive officer any of the Executive’s functions.

(5) If a function of the Executive is delegated to the chief executive officer under subsection (4), the delegation remains in force until the Board revokes the delegation by notice in writing given to that officer.

(6) The Board shall notify the Minister in writing of any delegation made under subsection (4) and of any revocation of such delegation.

(7) The Board shall inform the Minister in writing of any matter that it considers requires the Minister’s attention.]

16Q. (1) A person is not eligible for appointment as a member of the Board or a committee of the Board if the person is—

(a) nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann,

(b) elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or to be a member of the European Parliament,

(c) regarded pursuant to Part XIII of the Second Schedule to the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 as having been elected to that Parliament, or

(d) elected or co-opted as a member of a local authority.

(2) A person who is for the time being entitled under the Standing Orders of either House of the Oireachtas to sit therein or who is a member of the European Parliament or a local authority shall, while he or she is so entitled or is such a member, be disqualified for membership of the Board or a committee of the Board.]

16R.— (1) The Minister may at any time remove from office a member of the Board if, in the Minister’s opinion—

(a) the member has become incapable through ill-health of performing his or her functions,

(b) the member has committed stated misbehaviour,

(c) the member’s removal is necessary for the effective and efficient performance by the Board of its functions,

(d) the member has contravened section 25(1) or 26 or an applicable provision of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995, or

(e) in performing functions under this Act, the member has not been guided by a code of conduct that has been drawn up under section 10(3) of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 and that relates to the member.

(2) A member of the Board shall cease to be qualified for office and shall cease to hold office if he or she—

(a) is adjudicated bankrupt,

(b) makes a composition or arrangement with creditors,

(c) is sentenced by a court of competent jurisdiction to a term of imprisonment,

(d) is convicted of any indictable offence,

(e) is convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty, whether in connection with a company or not,

(f) is, or is deemed to be, the subject of an order under section 160 of the Companies Act 1990 or a disqualification order within the meaning of Chapter 4 of Part 14 of the Companies Act 2014, or

(g) is removed by a competent authority for any reason (other than failure to pay a fee) from any register established for the purpose of registering members of a profession in the State or another jurisdiction.

(3) A member who does not, for a consecutive period of 6 months, attend a meeting of the Board ceases at the end of that period to hold office unless the member demonstrates to the Minister’s satisfaction that the failure was due to ill-health.

(4) In this section, ‘applicable provision of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995’, in relation to a member, means a provision of that Act that, by virtue of a regulation under section 3 of that Act, applies to that member.]

16S.— (1) The Minister may remove all the members of the Board from office if—

(a) the Board fails to achieve a quorum for 3 consecutive meetings,

(b) the Board does not comply with a judgment, order or decree of any court,

(c) the Board does not comply with a direction of the Minister or any other requirement imposed on it by or under any enactment including this Act, or

(d) the Minister is of the opinion that the Board’s functions (in particular, its functions under section 16P) are not being performed in an effective and efficient manner.

(2) The Minister may, if he or she is of the opinion that the Board’s functions are not being performed in an effective and efficient manner, appoint a person to—

(a) conduct an independent review of any matter giving rise to that opinion, and

(b) submit a report to the Minister on the results of the review.

(3) The Board shall co-operate with a review under subsection (2) and give the person conducting it all reasonable assistance, including access to such premises, equipment and records as the person may require for the purposes of the review.

(4) The removal of the members of the Board from office does not revoke or otherwise affect any delegation of the Executive’s functions to the chief executive officer under section 16P(4).]

16T.— (1) The Board may establish committees, consisting in whole or in part of persons who are members of the Board, to assist and advise it in relation to the performance of any of its functions.

(2) In appointing members of a committee the Board shall have regard to the knowledge and experience necessary for the proper and effective and efficient discharge of the functions of the committee.

(3) The Board may at any time remove a member of a committee for stated reasons.

(4) The acts of a committee shall be subject to confirmation by the Board, unless the Board otherwise determines.

(5) The Board may determine the terms of reference and the procedures of a committee.

(6) The Board may appoint a member of a committee to be the chairperson of a committee.

(7) A committee shall provide the Board with such information as the Board may from time to time require, in respect of the committee’s activities and operations, for the purposes of the performance by the Board of its functions.

(8) The Board may at any time dissolve a committee.

(9) In this section, ‘committee’ means a committee established under subsection (1).]

16U. (1) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, determine the remuneration and expenses payable under this section.

(2) The remuneration and allowances for expenses, if any, determined in accordance with subsection (1) are payable by the Executive out of funds at its disposal to—

(a) the members of the Board, and

(b) the members of a committee of the Board.

(3) The remuneration and allowances for expenses, if any, determined in accordance with subsection (1) are payable by the Minister out of money provided by the Oireachtas to a person appointed under section 16S(2) to conduct an independent review.]

17.— F64[…]

18.— F65[…]

19.— F66[…]

20.— F67[…]

21.— F68[…]

21A.— (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Board shall as soon as practicable after the commencement of section 10 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2019 and thereafter as required, appoint a person recruited in accordance with the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 to be the chief executive officer of the Executive (in this Act referred to as the ‘chief executive officer’).

(2) Subsection (1) shall not apply to a person deemed under subsection (6) to be the first chief executive officer.

(3) The chief executive officer shall hold office upon and subject to such terms and conditions (including terms and conditions relating to remuneration, allowances and superannuation) as may be determined by the Board with the approval of the Minister given with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(4) The remuneration and allowances determined under subsection (3) shall be paid out of funds at the disposal of the Executive.

(5) The chief executive officer shall not hold any other office or employment or carry on any business.

(6) Notwithstanding the repeal of Part 3A by section 3 (a) of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2019, the person who was the Director General, immediately before the commencement of the said section 3 (a), shall be deemed to be the first chief executive officer—

(a) as if, on that commencement, the Board had appointed under subsection (1) the person to be the chief executive officer for the remaining period, if any, that was left to run for the person to hold the office of such Director General immediately before that commencement, and

(b) on the same terms and conditions (including terms and conditions relating to remuneration, allowances, superannuation and termination of appointment) as the person held office as such Director General immediately before that commencement, and the other provisions of this Act shall be construed accordingly.

(7) The chief executive officer shall not be a member of the Board or a committee, but he or she may, in accordance with procedures established by the Board or a committee, as the case may be, attend meetings of the Board or a committee and shall be entitled to speak at and advise such meetings.]

21B.— (1) The chief executive officer may resign from office by giving notice in writing to the Board of his or her resignation.

(2) The Board may, at any time, remove the chief executive officer from office if, in its opinion—

(a) the chief executive officer has become incapable through ill-health of performing his or her functions,

(b) the chief executive officer has committed stated misbehaviour, or

(c) the removal of the chief executive officer is necessary for the effective and efficient performance by the Executive of its functions.

(3) If the chief executive officer is removed from office in accordance with subsection (2), the Board shall provide the chief executive officer with a statement of reasons for the removal.

(4) The chief executive officer shall cease to be qualified for office and shall cease to hold office if he or she—

(a) is sentenced by a court of competent jurisdiction to a term of imprisonment,

(b) is convicted of any indictable offence,

(c) is convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty, whether in connection with a company or not, or

(d) is, or is deemed to be, the subject of an order under section 160 of the Companies Act 1990 or a disqualification order within the meaning of Chapter 4 of Part 14 of the Companies Act 2014.]

21C.— (1) The chief executive officer shall—

(a) carry on and manage, and control generally, the administration and business of the Executive and perform such other functions as are conferred on him or her by or under this Act or any other enactment,

(b) ensure that appropriate systems, procedures and practices are in place—

(i) to achieve the Executive’s object,

(ii) for the internal performance management and accountability of the Executive in respect of the Executive’s—

(I) performance of its functions,

(II) achieving objectives in accordance with the corporate plan, and

(III) delivery of health and personal social services in accordance with this Act, and

(iii) in order to enable compliance with the policies (whether set out in codes, guidelines or other documents, or any combination thereof) of the Government or a Minister of the Government to the extent that those policies may affect or relate to the functions of the Executive,

(c) provide the Board with such information (including financial information) relating to the performance of his or her functions and the implementation of the policies of the Executive as the Board may require, and

(d) assist and provide the accounting officer (other than for the purposes referred to in section 40G) with such information (including financial information and records) relating to the accounting officer’s functions within such period as the accounting officer may require.

(2) The chief executive officer shall be accountable to the Board for the effective and efficient management of the Executive and for the due performance of his or her functions.]

21D.— (1) (a) Subject to paragraph (b), the chief executive officer may—

(i) delegate any of his or her functions under section 21C in writing to an employee of the Executive, which employee shall be specified by name, grade, position or otherwise, and

(ii) to the extent specified in a delegation made under this subsection, authorise the subdelegation of any or all of the functions delegated under subparagraph (i) to or by other employees of the Executive.

(b) The Board may issue directions in writing to the chief executive officer in respect of the exercise of his or her power under paragraph (a) and the chief executive officer shall comply with such directions.

(2) Any function delegated or subdelegated under this section to an employee of the Executive shall be performed by the employee under the general direction and control of the chief executive officer and in compliance with such directions, limitations and guidelines as may be specified by—

(a) in the case of a delegated function, the chief executive officer, or

(b) in the case of a subdelegated function, the employee who subdelegated the function.

(3) The delegation of a function does not preclude the chief executive officer from performing the function.

(4) The chief executive officer may—

(a) vary the delegation of a function under this section, including by modifying the geographical area to which the delegation relates,

(b) revoke the delegation, or

(c) without revoking the delegation, revoke any subdelegation of the function.

(5) On varying or revoking the delegation or subdelegation of a function, the chief executive officer shall, as soon as practicable, inform each employee to whom the function was delegated or subdelegated of its variation or revocation.

(6) An employee of the Executive who subdelegates a function delegated or subdelegated to the employee under this section—

(a) may—

(i) vary the subdelegation, including by modifying the geographical area to which it relates, or

(ii) may revoke the subdelegation, and

(b) is not precluded from performing the function.

(7) On varying or revoking the subdelegation of a function under subsection (6), the employee who subdelegated the function shall, as soon as practicable, inform each employee to whom the function was subdelegated of its variation or revocation.]

21E.— (1) Subject to subsection (2), the chief executive officer shall, at the request in writing of a Committee, attend before it to give an account of the general administration of the Executive.

(2) The chief executive officer shall not be required to give an account before a Committee of any matter relating to the general administration of the Executive which is the subject of proceedings before a court or tribunal in the State.

(3) Where the chief executive officer is of the opinion that a matter in respect of which he or she is requested to give an account before a Committee is a matter to which subsection (2) applies, he or she shall inform the Committee of that opinion and the reasons for the opinion and, unless the information is conveyed to the Committee at a time when the chief executive officer is before it, the information shall be so conveyed in writing.

(4) Where the chief executive officer has informed a Committee of his or her opinion in accordance with subsection (3) and the Committee does not withdraw the request referred to in subsection (1) in so far as it relates to a matter the subject of that opinion—

(a) the chief executive officer may, not later than 42 days after being informed by the Committee of its decision not to do so, apply to the High Court in a summary manner for determination of the question whether the matter is one to which subsection (2) applies, or

(b) the Chairperson of the Committee may, on behalf of the Committee, make such an application,

and the High Court shall determine the matter.

(5) Pending the determination of an application under subsection (4), the chief executive officer shall not attend before the Committee to give account for the matter the subject of the application.

(6) If the High Court determines that the matter concerned is one to which subsection (2) applies, the Committee shall withdraw the request referred to in subsection (1), but if the High Court determines that subsection (2) does not apply, the chief executive officer shall attend before the Committee to give account for the matter.

(7) In the performance of his or her duties under this section, the chief executive officer shall not question or express an opinion on the merits of any policy of the Government or a Minister of the Government or on the merits of the objectives of such a policy.

(8) With the permission of the Chairperson of a Committee making the request under subsection (1), either—

(a) the chairperson of the Board, or

(b) an employee of the Executive nominated by the chief executive officer, may attend before the Committee in place of the chief executive officer to give an account of the general administration of the Executive, and in that case a reference in subsections (2) to (7) to the chief executive officer shall be read as including a reference to the person attending in his or her place.

(9) In this section, ‘Committee’ means a committee appointed by either House of the Oireachtas or jointly by both Houses of the Oireachtas, other than—

(a) the Committee of Public Accounts, the Committee on Members’ Interests of Dáil Éireann or the Committee on Members’ Interests of Seanad Éireann, or

(b) a subcommittee of a committee referred to in paragraph (a).]

21F.— (1) A person is not eligible for appointment as the chief executive officer if the person is—

(a) nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann,

(b) elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or to be a member of the European Parliament,

(c) regarded pursuant to Part XIII of the Second Schedule to the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 as having been elected to that Parliament, or

(d) elected or co-opted as a member of a local authority.

(2) A person who is for the time being entitled under the Standing Orders of either House of the Oireachtas to sit therein or who is a member of the European Parliament or of a local authority shall, while he or she is so entitled or is such a member, be disqualified for being the chief executive officer.]

21G.— (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Board may appoint such other employee of the Executive to perform the functions of the chief executive officer during—

(a) any period or periods when the chief executive officer is absent from duty or from the State or is, for any other reason, unable to perform the functions of chief executive officer,

(b) any suspension from office of the chief executive officer, or

(c) any vacancy in the office of chief executive officer.

(2) The Board may at any time terminate an appointment under this section.]

22.— (1) The Executive may, subject to subsections (2) to (5), appoint persons to be its employees and may determine their duties.

(2) Employees appointed under this section shall be recruited in accordance with the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004.

(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to employees appointed under this section during the period of 3 months beginning with the establishment day or during such shorter period as the Minister may specify.

(4) The Executive shall, with the approval of the Minister given with the consent of the Minister for Finance, determine—

(a) the terms and conditions of employment (including terms and conditions relating to remuneration and allowances) of employees appointed under this section, and

(b) the grades of the employees of the Executive and the numbers of employees in each grade.

(5) A person is not eligible for appointment as an employee of the Executive if the person is—

(a) a member of either House of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament, or

(b) regarded pursuant to section 19 of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 as having been elected to the European Parliament to fill a vacancy.

(6) The remuneration and allowances of the Executive's employees are payable by the Executive to them out of funds at its disposal.

F77[(7) This section shall not apply to the appointment of the chief executive officer under section 21A.]

23.— (1) The Executive shall prepare and submit to the Minister one or more than one scheme for granting superannuation benefits to or in respect of such employees (including the F78[chief executive officer]) of the Executive as it may think fit.

(2) Each superannuation scheme must fix the terms of retirement for all persons to or in respect of whom superannuation benefits are payable under the scheme, and different terms may be fixed in respect of different classes of persons.

(3) A superannuation scheme may be amended or revoked by a subsequent scheme prepared, submitted and approved under this section.

(4) A superannuation scheme submitted by the Executive under this section shall, if approved by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance, be carried out by the Executive in accordance with its terms.

(5) The Executive may not grant, or enter into any arrangement for the provision of, any superannuation benefit to or in respect of an employee (including the F78[chief executive officer]) except in accordance with a scheme approved under this section or except as approved by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance.

(6) Each scheme must include provision for appeals from a decision relating to a superannuation benefit under the scheme.

(7) The Minister shall ensure that a superannuation scheme approved under this section is laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as practicable after the scheme is approved.

(8) Either House of the Oireachtas may, by a resolution passed within 21 sitting days after the day on which the scheme is laid before it, annul the scheme.

(9) The annulment of a superannuation scheme under subsection (8) takes effect immediately on the passing of the resolution concerned, but does not affect the validity of anything done under the scheme before the passing of the resolution.

24.— (1) The Executive may engage such advisers as it considers necessary for the performance of its functions.

(2) Any fees due to an adviser engaged under this section are payable by the Executive out of funds at its disposal.

25.— F79[(1) A person shall maintain proper standards of integrity, conduct and concern for the public interest while performing functions under this Act or any other enactment as—

(a) a member of the Board or a committee of the Board (including the audit committee established under section 40H),

(b) the chief executive officer,

(c) an employee of the Executive,

(d) a person engaged by the Executive as an adviser under section 24, or

(e) an employee of a person referred to in paragraph (d).]

(2) Subsection (1) applies to an employee of a person referred to in F80[paragraph (d)] of that subsection in respect only of duties of employment relating to the purposes for which the Executive has engaged that person.

F80[(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), F79[the Board shall] issue codes of conduct for the guidance of persons referred to in that subsection and may issue different codes in respect of different classes of such persons.]

(4) A code of conduct issued under this section for the guidance of persons referred to in subsection (3) must indicate the standards of integrity and conduct to be maintained by them in performing their functions under this or any other enactment.

(5) A person to whom such a code of conduct relates is required to have regard to and be guided by the code in performing the person's functions under this or any other enactment.

(6) The terms and conditions on which a person is employed by the Executive or by a person referred to in F80[subsection (1)(d)] or on which a person is engaged by the Executive as an adviser, as the case may be, are deemed to include any requirements that apply to that person under subsection (5).

(7) Subject to subsection (8), the Executive shall as soon as practicable after issuing a code of conduct make the code available to the persons for whose guidance it was issued.

(8) A code of conduct for the guidance of employees of a person engaged by the Executive as an adviser shall be issued by the Executive to the employer and be made available by the employer to those employees.

(9) A document purporting to be a code of conduct issued under this section is, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, to be taken to be such code and is admissible in any proceedings before a court or other tribunal.

(10) Any provision of such code that appears to the court or other tribunal to be relevant to a question in the proceedings may be taken into account by it in determining the question.

F81[26.— (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person shall not disclose confidential information obtained by him or her while performing functions as—

(a) a member of the Board or a committee of the Board (including the audit committee established under section 40H),

(b) the chief executive officer or any other employee of the Executive,

(c) a person engaged by the Executive as an adviser under section 24,

(d) an employee of a person referred to in paragraph (c), or

(e) a person appointed under section 16S(2) to conduct an independent review,

unless he or she is required by law, or duly authorised by the Executive or, in the case of a person referred to in paragraph (e), the Minister, to do so.

(2) A person does not contravene subsection (1) by disclosing confidential information if—

(a) the disclosure is made to the Board,

(b) the disclosure is made to the Minister by or on behalf of the Executive, or by or on behalf of a person referred to in paragraph (e) of subsection (1), or in compliance with a requirement of this Act, or

(c) the disclosure is a protected disclosure under Part 9A or the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 .

(3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.

(4) In this section, ‘confidential information’ means—

(a) in the case of persons referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d) of subsection (1)—

(i) information that is expressed by the Executive to be confidential either as regards particular information or as regards information of a particular class or description, and

(ii) information relating to proposals of a commercial nature or tenders submitted to the Executive by contractors, consultants or any other person,

and

(b) in the case of a person referred to in paragraph (e) of subsection (1)—

(i) information that is expressed by the Minister to be confidential either as regards particular information or as regards information of a particular class or description, and

(ii) information relating to proposals of a commercial nature or tenders submitted to the Executive by contractors, consultants or any other person.]

27.— (1) F82[A member of the Board or a member of a committee of the Board (including the audit committee established under section 40H)] immediately ceases to hold office on—

(a) being nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann,

(b) being elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament,

(c) being regarded, pursuant to section 19 of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997, as having been elected to the European Parliament to fill a vacancy, or

(d) becoming a member of a local authority.

(2) An employee of the Executive (including the F82[chief executive officer]) is immediately seconded from employment with the Executive on—

(a) being nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann,

(b) being elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament, or

(c) being regarded, pursuant to section 19 of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997, as having been elected to the European Parliament to fill a vacancy.

(3) No remuneration or allowances are payable by the Executive in respect of the secondment period to a person seconded from employment under subsection (2) and that period is not to be counted as service with the Executive for the purposes of any superannuation benefit.

(4) In relation to a person seconded under subsection (2) from employment, the secondment period begins on the occurrence of the relevant event referred to in that subsection and ends when the person ceases to be a member of either House of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament.

28.— F83[(1) In this Part—

‘approved capital plan’ means a capital plan approved by the Minister under section 31 as read with section 33B(4) ;

‘approved corporate plan’ means a corporate plan approved by the Minister under section 29;

‘approved service plan’ means—

(a) a service plan approved by the Minister under section 31, or

(b) an amended service plan that is approved or deemed to have been approved by the Minister under section 32;

‘capital expenditure’ means expenditure to acquire a fixed asset or to significantly extend the life of an existing fixed asset;

‘capital plan’ means a plan the purpose of which is to acquire a fixed asset or to significantly extend the life of an existing fixed asset;

F84[…]

‘financial year’ means a period of 12 months ending on 31 December in any year;

‘income’, in relation to the Executive, means all of the income of the Executive for a financial year other than any grant made to the Executive for that year under section 33A;

‘net expenditure’, in relation to the Executive and a financial year or part of a financial year, means the expenditure of the Executive for that financial year or part of a financial year, as the case may be, less the income of the Executive for that financial year or part of a financial year, as the case may be;

‘net non-capital expenditure’, in relation to the Executive and a financial year or part of a financial year, means the non-capital expenditure of the Executive for that financial year or part of a financial year, as the case may be, less the non-capital income of the Executive for that financial year or part of a financial year, as the case may be;

‘non-capital expenditure’ means expenditure other than capital expenditure;

‘non-capital income’, in relation to the Executive and a financial year or part of a financial year, means the income of the Executive for that financial year or part of a financial year, as the case may be, other than income received by the Executive for the disposal of a fixed asset;

‘section 30A(1) determination’ means a determination made by the Minister under section 30A(1).]

(2) References in section 31 , 33 or 38 to health and personal social services or to a health or personal social service do not include any service provided under the Social Welfare Acts.

29.— (1) The Executive shall, in accordance with this section, prepare, adopt and, at the times specified in subsection (2), submit to the Minister for approval a corporate plan for the 3 year period following the date of its submission.

(2) A corporate plan must be submitted at the following times:

(a) within 6 months after the establishment day;

(b) within 6 months after the appointment of a new Minister having charge of the Department of Health and Children, if that Minister requests that a corporate plan be submitted;

(c) at the end of the 3 year period since the last corporate plan was submitted.

(3) The corporate plan must be prepared in a form and manner in accordance with any directions issued by the Minister and must specify—

(a) the key objectives of the Executive for the 3 year period concerned and the strategies for achieving those objectives,

(b) the manner in which the Executive proposes to measure its achievement of those objectives, and

(c) the uses for which the Executive proposes to apply its resources.

F85[(4) In preparing the corporate plan, the Executive shall have regard to the policies (whether set out in codes, guidelines or other documents, or any combination thereof) of the Government or any Minister of the Government to the extent that those policies may affect or relate to the functions of the Executive.]

(5) Within 3 months after receiving a corporate plan, the Minister shall—

(a) approve the plan, or

(b) if the plan is not amended in accordance with any directions that may be issued by the Minister to the Executive, refuse to approve the plan.

(6) An approved corporate plan may be amended by the Minister at any time or may be amended by the Executive, but in the latter case only after—

(a) the Executive submits the proposed amendment to the Minister for approval, and

(b) the amendment is approved by the Minister.

(7) Subsections (4) and (5) apply with the necessary modifications in respect of an amendment by the Executive to an approved corporate plan.

(8) Nothing in a corporate plan is to be taken to prevent the Executive from, or to limit the Executive in, performing its functions.

30.— (1) The Minister shall ensure that a copy of an approved corporate plan is laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas—

(a) within 21 days after the plan is approved by the Minister, and

(b) if the plan is amended under section 29(6) after being approved by the Minister, within 21 days after—

(i) in the case of an amendment made by the Minister, the making of the amendment, or

(ii) in the case of an amendment made by the Executive, the amendment is approved by the Minister.

(2) The Executive shall ensure that, as soon as practicable after copies of an approved corporate plan are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, the plan is published on the Internet or in accordance with such other arrangements as the Minister may specify.

(3) The Executive shall provide the Minister with progress reports on the implementation of an approved corporate plan—

(a) in its annual report, and

(b) in such other manner and at such intervals as the Minister may direct.

(4) During the specified period, the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 to 2003 do not apply to a record containing—

(a) a corporate plan, or an amendment to such plan, that has not been approved by the Minister,

(b) a preliminary or other draft of all or part of the contents of a corporate plan or of an amendment to a corporate plan, or

(c) the unamended version of a corporate plan that is approved after being amended in accordance with a direction of the Minister.

(5) For the purpose of subsection (4), the specified period is 5 years beginning on the date of the creation of the record.

30A.— (1) Subject to subsections (5) and (6), the Minister shall determine the maximum amount of net non-capital expenditure that may be incurred by the Executive for—

(a) a financial year of the Executive, or

(b) if the Minister considers it appropriate to do so in any particular case, such part of a financial year of the Executive as may be specified in the relevant notification under this section.

(2) The Minister shall notify the Executive in writing of a section 30A(1) determination—

(a) if the period to which the determination relates is a financial year of the Executive or runs from the beginning of such year, not later than 21 days after the publication by the Government of the Estimates for Public Services (within the meaning of section 17(1) (inserted by section 1 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2013 ) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 ) for that financial year, and

(b) in any other case, not later than 21 days after making the determination.

(3) (a) The Minister may amend a section 30A(1) determination by varying the maximum amount of net non-capital expenditure that the Executive may incur for the financial year or part of the financial year to which the determination relates.

(b) A section 30A(1) determination amended under paragraph (a) shall apply and have effect as so amended.

(4) The Minister shall notify the Executive in writing of the amendment made under subsection (3) to a section 30A(1) determination not later than 21 days after making the amendment.

(5) The Minister shall not, in making a section 30A(1) determination for a financial year, or part of a financial year, take into account the effect (if any) of section 33(3) for that financial year, or part of a financial year, as the case may be.

(6) The Minister shall not, in the financial year 2014, make a section 30A(1) determination except in respect of—

(a) the financial year 2015, or

(b) part of the financial year 2015.]

31.— (1) Before the expiry of the specified period the Executive shall—

(a) prepare, in accordance with this section, a service plan for the financial year or such other period as may be determined by the Minister, and

(b) adopt the plan so prepared and submit it to the Minister for approval.

(2) For the purpose of this section, the specified period is—

F88[(a) the period ending 21 days after the Executive receives the section 30A(1) determination concerned, or]

(b) such other period as the Minister may allow.

(3) The Minister may issue a direction to the Executive as respects the form and manner in which the service plan is to be prepared.

(4) A service plan shall be prepared in a form and manner which is consistent with any direction issued by the Minister under subsection (3) and shall—

(a) indicate the type and volume of health and personal social services to be provided by the Executive during the period to which the plan relates,

(b) indicate any capital plans proposed by the Executive,

F89[(ba) contain estimates of the income and expenditure of the Executive for the period to which the plan relates, and

(bb) be consistent with the section 30A(1) determination for the period to which the plan relates,]

(c) contain estimates of the number of employees of the Executive for the period and the services to which the plan relates,

(d) contain estimates of the number of employees of service providers under section 38 engaged in the provision of such services and which relate to the period of the service plan and the services to which it relates,

(e) contain any other information specified by the Minister,

(f) be consistent with any directions issued by the Minister under section 10, and

F90[(g) accord with the policies (whether set out in codes, guidelines or other documents, or any combination thereof) and objectives of the Minister and the Government.]

(5) In preparing the service plan, the Executive shall have regard to—

(a) the approved corporate plan in operation at that time,

(b) any direction issued by the Minister under section 10, and

(c) the priorities and performance targets specified under section 10A.

F90[(6) If the Executive fails to submit a service plan to the Minister before the expiry of the specified period, the Minister may, in writing, issue a direction, directing the Executive to prepare and submit a service plan to him or her not later than—

(a) 10 days after the date on which the Minister issues the direction to the Executive, or

(b) such earlier date as may be specified in the direction.]

F91[(6A) (a) Subject to paragraph (b), if the Executive fails to comply with a direction under subsection (6), the Minister may, in writing, issue a direction, directing the chief executive officer to prepare and submit a service plan to him or her not later than—

(i) 10 days after the date on which the Minister issues the direction to the chief executive officer, or

(ii) such earlier date as may be specified in the direction.

(b) For the purposes of the chief executive officer preparing and submitting a service plan to the Minister in accordance with a direction issued under paragraph (a), references to the Executive in subsections (3), (5), (8) and (9) (other than in subsection (9)(d)) shall be read as including references to the chief executive officer.]

(7) A service plan submitted to the Minister by the F92[chief executive officer in compliance with subsection (6A)] shall be deemed to have been prepared, adopted and submitted by the Executive.

(8) Not later than 21 days after receiving a service plan under this section, F93[the Minister shall—]

(a) approve the service plan in the form in which it was submitted,

(b) approve the service plan with such amendments as the Minister, having consulted with the Executive, may determine, or

(c) issue a direction to the Executive under subsection (9) to amend the plan.

F93[(9) The Minister may direct the Executive to amend a service plan submitted under this section if, in the opinion of the Minister, the plan—

(a) does not contain any information required to be included in the service plan pursuant to subsection (4),

(b) does not in some other respect comply with subsection (4),

(c) has been prepared by the Executive without sufficient regard to the matters referred to in subsection (5), or

F92[(d) does not accord with the policies (whether set out in codes, guidelines or other documents, or any combination thereof) and objectives of the Minister or the Government to the extent to which those policies and objectives relate to the functions of the Executive and have been communicated in writing to the Executive prior to the commencement of the specified period.]]

(10) The Minister may refuse to approve a service plan unless it is amended in accordance with a direction issued under subsection (9).

(11) The F92[chief executive officer] shall comply with a direction issued to him or her under this section.

(12) F94[…]

(13) The Minister shall ensure that a copy of an approved service plan is laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas within 21 days after the plan is approved by the Minister.

(14) The Executive shall ensure that, as soon as practicable after copies of an approved service plan are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, the plan is published on the Internet or in accordance with such other arrangements as the Minister may specify.]

F89[(15) Section 28(1) and this section, as in force immediately before the enactment of the Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Act 2014, shall apply in relation to a service plan for the financial year 2014 and to a service plan for any part of that financial year and, accordingly, section 28(1) and this section, as in force immediately after such enactment, shall not apply in relation to any such service plan.]

32.— (1) After approving a service plan, the Minister may direct the Executive to submit an amended service plan and may specify in the direction the manner in which the plan is to be amended.

F96[(1A) Subject to subsection (1B), after amending a section 30A(1) determination, the Minister may—

(a) direct the Executive to amend, in such manner as the Minister may specify in the direction, the approved service plan to which the determination relates, or

(b) direct the Executive to submit an amended service plan that complies with the amended determination.

(1B) The Minister shall not, in the financial year 2014, give a direction under subsection (1A) except in respect of—

(a) a service plan for the financial year 2015, or

(b) a service plan for part of the financial year 2015.]

(2) F97[Subject to subsection (4), the Executive] may amend an approved service plan.

(3) If the Minister directs the Executive to submit an amended service plan in accordance with F97[subsection (1) or (1A)(b)] , subsections (4) to (11) of section 31 shall apply with all necessary modifications to the amended service plan.

(4) The Executive shall submit a service plan amended under subsection (2) as soon as practicable and in any event not later than 5 days after the day on which it adopts the amended service plan.

(5) Within 21 days after receiving an amended service plan submitted in accordance with subsection (4), F98[the Minister may—]

(a) direct the Executive to amend the service plan specifying the manner in which the service plan is to be amended, or

(b) notify the Executive that he or she intends to amend the plan in consultation with the Executive.

(6) Unless the direction or notification relating to an amended service plan is issued by the Minister within the period specified in subsection (5), the amended service plan is deemed to have been approved by the Minister immediately before the end of that period.

(7) If a direction relating to an amended service plan is issued by the Minister within the period specified in subsection (5), any amendment made (either in the amended service plan or in response to the direction) by the Executive to its approved service plan has no effect until the amendment is approved by the Minister.

(8) The Minister shall ensure that a copy of an approved service plan amended under this section is laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas within 21 days after the amended service plan is approved or deemed to have been approved by the Minister.

(9) The Executive shall ensure that, as soon as practicable after copies of an approved amended service plan are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, the plan is published on the Internet or in accordance with such other arrangements as the Minister may specify.]

F99[33.— F100[(1) Subject to subsection (1A), the Executive shall manage health and personal social services set out in an approved service plan so as to ensure that—

(a) those services are delivered in accordance with the plan, and

(b) the net non-capital expenditure for the financial year or part of the financial year to which the plan relates does not exceed the amount specified in the section 30A(1) determination for that financial year or part of a financial year, as the case may be.]

F101[(1A) Section 28(1) and subsection (1), as in force immediately before the enactment of the Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Act 2014, shall apply in relation to a service plan for the financial year 2014 and to a service plan for any part of that financial year and, accordingly, section 28(1) and subsection (1), as in force immediately after such enactment, shall not apply in relation to any such service plan.]

(2) The Minister may direct the Executive to take such specified measures as he or she may require in relation to the implementation of an approved service plan.]

F101[(3) (a) If the amount of net expenditure incurred by the Executive in a financial year is greater than the amount determined by the Minister for that year, the Executive shall charge the amount of such excess to its income and expenditure account for the next financial year.

(b) If the amount of net expenditure incurred by the Executive in a financial year is less than the amount determined by the Minister for that year, the Executive shall, subject to the approval of the Minister given with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, credit the amount of such surplus to its income and expenditure account for the next financial year.]

33A.— On and from 1 January 2015, the Minister shall, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, make grants to the Executive.]

33B.— (1) The Minister shall—

(a) subject to subsection (9) and with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in respect of each financial year of the Executive, determine the maximum amount of funding that the Minister will make available to the Executive in that year for capital expenditure, and

(b) notify the Executive in writing of that amount as soon as is practicable.

(2) After receiving the notification under subsection (1)(b) from the Minister, the Executive shall, in accordance with subsection (3), submit to the Minister for approval an annual capital plan—

(a) prepared in such form and containing such information as may be specified by the Minister, and

(b) relating to the financial year to which that notification relates.

(3) The annual capital plan shall be submitted to the Minister within—

(a) 21 days after the Executive receives the notification from the Minister, or

(b) such longer period (not exceeding 42 days after the receipt of that notification) as the Minister may allow.

(4) Subsections (6) to (11) of section 31 shall apply with all necessary modifications to an annual capital plan.

(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section but subject to subsection (10), the Minister may at any time direct in writing the Executive to submit to the Minister for approval a capital plan prepared in such form, containing such information and covering such part of a financial year as may be specified by the Minister in such direction.

(6) In preparing a capital plan for submission under this section, the Executive shall have regard to any priorities that may be determined by the Minister for the financial year or part of a financial year to which the plan relates.

(7) Subject to subsection (10), the Minister may at any time direct the Executive to amend a capital plan submitted and approved under this section.

(8) The Executive may, with the prior approval of the Minister, amend a capital plan submitted and approved under this section.

(9) The Minister shall not, in the financial year 2014, make a determination under subsection (1)(a) except in respect of the financial year 2015.

(10) The Minister shall not, in the financial year 2014, give a direction under subsection (5) or (7) except in respect of—

(a) a capital plan for the financial year 2015, or

(b) a capital plan for a part of the financial year 2015.]

34.— F104[…]

34A.— (1) The F106[chief executive officer] shall take steps to ensure that—

(a) the Executive’s net non-capital expenditure for a financial year or part of a financial year does not exceed the amount specified in the section 30A(1) determination for that financial year or part of a financial year, as the case may be, and

(b) the Executive’s capital expenditure for the financial year does not exceed the amount specified in the notification under section 33B(1)(b) received by the Executive which relates to that year.

(2) The F106[chief executive officer] shall, as soon as is practicable, inform the Minister if he or she forms the opinion that an action undertaken by the Executive will, or that a proposed action to be undertaken by the Executive would, if made, result in—

(a) the Executive’s net non-capital expenditure for a financial year or part of a financial year exceeding the amount specified in the section 30A(1) determination for that financial year or part of a financial year, as the case may be, or

(b) the Executive’s capital expenditure for a financial year exceeding the amount specified in the notification under section 33B(1)(b) received by the Executive which relates to that year.]

34B.— (1) The F108[chief executive officer] shall, whenever required in writing to do so by the Committee of Public Accounts on or after 1 January 2015, give evidence to that Committee on—

(a) the regularity and propriety of the transactions recorded, or required to be recorded, in any book or other record of account subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General that the Executive is required by this Act to prepare,

(b) the economy and efficiency of the Executive in using its resources,

(c) the systems, procedures and practices employed by the Executive for evaluating the effectiveness of its operations, and

(d) any matter affecting the Executive referred to in—

(i) a special report of the Comptroller and Auditor General under section 11 (2) of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993, or

(ii) any other report of the Comptroller and Auditor General that is laid before Dáil Éireann to the extent that it relates to a matter specified in paragraph (a), (b) or (c).

(2) In carrying out duties under this section, the F108[chief executive officer] may not question or express an opinion on the merits of any policy of the Government or a Minister of the Government or on the merits of the objectives of such a policy.]

35.— (1) The Executive shall, as soon as practicable after it is established, submit to the Minister for approval a code of governance that includes an outline of—

(a) the guiding principles applicable to the Executive as a public body having functions relating to health and personal social services,

F109[(b) the structure of the Executive, including the roles and responsibilities of the Board and the chief executive officer,]

(c) the methods to be used to bring about the integration of health and personal social services,

(d) the processes and guidelines to be followed to ensure compliance with the reporting requirements imposed on the Executive by or under this Act,

(e) the Executive's internal controls, including its procedures relating to internal audits, risk management, public procurement and financial reporting, F110[…]

F111[(f) procedures established under section 55H, and]

(2) F109[Subject to subsection (2A), the Executive shall] review the code of governance periodically and at such times as may be specified by the Minister and shall revise the code as the Executive considers appropriate.

F112[(2A) The Executive shall, as soon as practicable after the commencement of section 21 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2019 and without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), revise the code of governance to take account of the amendment made to subsection (1) by that section.]

(3) In preparing, or making any revisions to, the code of governance, the Executive shall have regard to any directions issued by the Minister under section 10 .

(4) Following the Minister's approval of the code of governance or of any revisions to it, the Executive shall arrange for the publication of the code or the revised code.

(5) The Executive shall indicate in its annual report its arrangements for implementing and maintaining adherence to the code of governance.

36.— (1) The Executive shall keep all proper and usual accounts of all money received or expended by it.

(2) The Executive shall, in respect of each financial year, prepare annual financial statements (including accounts of income and expenditure and a balance sheet) in such form as the Minister may direct.

(3) The annual financial statements shall be prepared by the Executive in accordance with accounting standards specified by the Minister.

(4) The Executive shall adopt the annual financial statements on or before the 1st day of April in the year following the financial year to which they relate.

(5) On adopting the financial statements, the Executive shall submit a copy of them—

(a) to the Comptroller and Auditor General for audit, and

(b) to the Minister at the same time.

(6) On completing the audit, the Comptroller and Auditor General shall send to the Executive a copy of the annual financial statements together with the report on the audit.

(7) The Executive shall immediately transmit a copy of the audited annual financial statements together with the Comptroller and Auditor General's report to the Minister who shall ensure that a copy of each is laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as practicable.

(8) Any examination of the Executive by the Comptroller and Auditor General under section 9 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993 shall extend to any arrangement entered into by the Executive under section 38 .

37.— (1) The Executive shall, not later than the 30th day of April in each year beginning with the year 2006, prepare and adopt a report on the performance of its functions during the preceding year.

(2) An annual report shall include—

(a) a general statement of the health and personal social services provided during the preceding year by or on behalf of the Executive (whether provided in accordance with an agreement under section 8 or an arrangement under section 38 ) and of the activities undertaken by the Executive in that year,

(b) a report on the implementation of the corporate plan in the year,

(c) a report on the implementation of the service plan in the year,

(d) a report on the implementation of the capital plans in the year,

(e) an indication of the Executive's arrangements for implementing and maintaining adherence to its code of governance,

(f) the report required by section 55 (complaints), and

F113[(g) such other information as the Executive considers appropriate F114[or as the Minister may specify.]]

(3) The Executive shall submit a copy of the annual report to the Minister as soon as practicable after adopting the report and in any event not later than 21 days after its adoption.

(4) The Minister shall ensure that copies of the annual report are laid before each House of the Oireachtas within 21 days after the Minister receives that report.

(5) The Executive shall ensure that the annual report is published on the Internet, or in accordance with such other arrangements as the Minister may specify, as soon as practicable after copies of the report are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

38.— (1) The Executive may, subject to its available resources and any directions issued by the Minister under section 10 , enter, on such terms and conditions as it considers appropriate, into an arrangement with a person for the provision of a health or personal social service by that person on behalf of the Executive.

(2) Before entering into an arrangement under this section, the Executive shall determine, in respect of a financial year of the Executive, the maximum amount of funding (whether capital funding or non-capital funding) that it proposes to make available in that year under the arrangement and the level of service it expects to be provided for that funding.

(3) A service provider shall—

(a) keep, in such form as may be approved by the Executive in accordance with any general direction issued by the Minister, all proper and usual accounts and records of income received and expenditure incurred by it,

F115[(b) submit such accounts annually for examination, and]

(c) supply a copy of the audited accounts and the auditor's certificate and report on the accounts to the Executive within such period as may be specified by the Executive.

F116[(4) The expenses incurred in the carrying out of an audit of accounts submitted for examination in accordance with subsection (3) shall be payable by the service provider who so submitted them for examination.]

F117[F116[(4A)] The Executive may make an arrangement for the provision of a health or personal social service in accordance with this section by seeking and accepting a tender for the provision of such services.

F116[(4B)] A service provider providing a service in accordance with F116[subsection (4A)] is exempt from the requirements of subsections (2) and (3).]

(5) The Executive may exempt from the requirements of subsection (3)—

(a) a service provider who in any one financial year receives from the Executive in respect of health and personal social services provided on behalf of the Executive a total sum that does not exceed the amount that may be determined by the Minister, or

(b) such other categories of service providers as may be specified by the Minister.

(6) The Executive may make such arrangements as it considers appropriate to monitor—

(a) the expenditure incurred in the provision of health or personal social services by service providers exempted under subsection (5), and

(b) the provision of those services by such service providers.

(7) The Executive may request from a service provider any information that it considers material to the provision of a health or personal social service by the service provider.

(8) A service provider shall comply with a request made under subsection (7) to the service provider.

(9) At the Minister's request, the Executive shall supply the Minister with any information obtained in response to a request under subsection (7).

39.— (1) The Executive may, subject to any directions given by the Minister under section 10 and on such terms and conditions as it sees fit to impose, give assistance to any person or body that provides or proposes to provide a service similar or ancillary to a service that the Executive may provide.

(2) Assistance may be provided under this section in any of the following ways:

(a) by contributing to the expenses incurred by the person or body;

(b) by permitting the use by the person or body of premises maintained by the Executive and, where requisite, executing alterations and repairs to and supplying furniture and fittings for such premises;

(c) by providing premises (with all requisite furniture and fittings) for use by the person or body.

(3) Assistance may be provided to a person under this section whether or not the person is a service provider.

40.— (1) The Executive may accept gifts of money, land or other property on such trusts or conditions (if any) as may be specified by the donor.

(2) The Executive may not accept a gift if the trusts or conditions attaching to it would be inconsistent with the Executive's object or functions or with any obligations imposed on it under any enactment.

40A.— In this Part ‘ document ’ means—

(a) a book, record or other written or printed material,

(b) a photograph,

(c) any information stored, maintained or preserved by means of any mechanical or electronic device, whether or not stored, maintained or preserved in legible form, and

(d) any audio or video recording.]

40B.— (1) The Executive shall—

(a) monitor and keep under review occurrences and developments concerning matters relating to its object and F121[functions,]

(b) without delay, furnish the Minister with information regarding—

(i) any such occurrence or development that, in the opinion of the Executive, the Minister is likely to consider significant for the performance of his or her functions (whether under this Act or otherwise), or

(ii) any other occurrence or development that falls within a class of occurrences or developments of public interest or concern that has been specified in writing by the F122[Minister.]

F123[(c) F124[…]]

(2) The Minister may F125[…] issue guidelines in relation to the furnishing of information under subsection (1) and, if he or she does so, the Executive shall comply with those guidelines.]

40C.— (1) The Minister may, where he or she considers it necessary in the public interest to do so for the performance of his or her functions (whether under this Act or otherwise), require the Executive to furnish him or her with such information or documents as he or she may specify that are in the Executive’s procurement, possession or control, and the Executive shall do so within any period that the Minister may specify and, in any event, without delay.

F127[(1A) F128[…]]

(2) Nothing contained in an enactment, and no rule of law, which would require obtaining the consent of a person in order for the Executive to furnish the Minister F128[…] with information or documents under this Part, shall operate to prohibit or render unlawful such furnishing, notwithstanding that no such consent has been obtained.

(3) Nothing contained in an enactment, and no rule of law, relating to the non-disclosure or confidentiality of information or documents, shall operate to prohibit the Executive from furnishing the Minister F128[…] with information or documents under this Part, or render such furnishing unlawful.

(4) Nothing contained in an enactment, and no rule of law, relating to the hearing of proceedings otherwise than in public shall operate to—

(a) prohibit the Executive from furnishing the Minister F128[…], under this Part, with information or documents prepared in relation to, or given in evidence in, such proceedings, whether the proceedings were brought before or after the commencement of this Part, or

(b) render such furnishing unlawful.]

40D.— (1) Where the Minister has appointed a person to examine or inquire into any matter, and considers that any information or document that has been furnished F130[to him or her] under section 40B or 40C may be relevant to that examination or inquiry, the Minister may furnish that information or document to the person, and that person may receive that information or document.

F130[(1A) F131[…]]

(2) Nothing contained in an enactment, and no rule of law, which would require obtaining the consent of another person in order for F132[the Minister to furnish a person referred to in subsection (1) with information] or documents under this Part, shall operate to prohibit or render unlawful such furnishing, notwithstanding that no such consent has been obtained.

(3) Nothing contained in an enactment, and no rule of law, relating to the non-disclosure or confidentiality of information or documents, shall operate to prohibit F132[the Minister from furnishing a person referred to in subsection (1) with information] or documents under this Part, or render such furnishing unlawful.

(4) Nothing contained in an enactment, and no rule of law, relating to the hearing of proceedings otherwise than in public shall operate to—

(a) prohibit F132[the Minister from furnishing a person referred to in subsection (1) with information] or documents prepared in relation to, or given in evidence in, such proceedings, whether the proceedings were brought before or after the commencement of this Part, or

(b) render such furnishing unlawful.]

40E.— (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Minister may use information and documents furnished F134[to him or her] under this Part as he or she requires for the performance of his or her functions (whether under this Act or otherwise).

F134[(1A) F135[…].]

(2) Where information or a document has been furnished under section 40B or 40C, nothing in this Part is to be taken to permit publication, in whole or in part, of the information or document if such publication would not otherwise be lawful.]

40F.— Nothing in this Part is to be taken to limit F137[any power of the Minister] to require information from or issue directions to the Executive (whether under this Act or otherwise), or to affect, except to the extent required by this Part, F137[the functions of the Executive or the Minister].]

40G.— The F141[chief executive officer] shall be the accounting officer, for the purposes of the Comptroller and Auditor General Acts 1866 to 1998, in relation to the appropriation accounts of the Executive for the financial year ending on 31 December 2014 and for each of the previous financial years back to and including the financial year ending on 31 December 2005.]]

F143[40H.— (1) As soon as practicable after the commencement of section 23 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2019, the Board shall establish an audit committee to perform the functions specified in section 40I.

(2) The audit committee shall be appointed by the Board and shall consist of—

(a) not fewer than 3 of the Board members, and

(b) subject to subsection (3), not fewer than 4 other persons who, in the opinion of the Board, have the relevant skills and experience to perform the functions of the committee, at least one of whom shall hold a professional qualification in accountancy or auditing.

(3) A person is not eligible for appointment to the audit committee pursuant to subsection (2)(b) if that person is an employee of the Executive.

(4) The Board shall designate one of the persons appointed pursuant to subsection (2)(b) to be the chairperson of the audit committee.

(5) The duration of a person’s membership of the audit committee shall be determined by the Board when appointing that person.

(6) A member of the audit committee may resign from the committee by letter addressed to the chairperson of the Board.

(7) The Board may at any time remove a member of the audit committee for stated reasons.

(8) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, determine the remuneration and expenses payable under this section.

(9) The remuneration and allowances for expenses, if any, determined in accordance with subsection (8) are payable by the Executive out of funds at its disposal to a member of the audit committee.

(10) The chief executive officer shall ensure that the audit committee is provided with the necessary secretarial and other resources to enable it to perform its functions.]]

40HA.— (1) The Minister shall, by order, appoint a day to be the relevant day for the purposes of section 40H.

(2) The old audit committee shall stand dissolved on the relevant day.

(3) Anything commenced and not completed before the relevant day by or under the authority of the old audit committee may, in so far as it relates to a function of the new audit committee, be carried on or completed on or after that day by the new audit committee.

(4) Every document granted or made, by the old audit committee, if and in so far as it was operative immediately before the relevant day, shall have effect on and after that day as if it had been granted or made by the new audit committee.

(5) Each record held by the old audit committee immediately before the relevant day shall, on that day, stand transferred to the new audit committee and shall, on and after that day, be the property of the new audit committee and be regarded as being held by the new audit committee.

(6) In this section and section 40I—

‘new audit committee’ means the audit committee established pursuant to section 40H after the commencement of section 23 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2019;

‘old audit committee’ means the audit committee established pursuant to section 40H before the commencement of section 23 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2019;

‘relevant day’ shall be construed in accordance with subsection (1).]

F146[40I.— (1) The audit committee shall, on and after the relevant day—

(a) advise the chief executive officer on financial matters relating to his or her functions,

(b) report in writing at least once in every year to the chief executive officer on those matters and on the activities of the committee in the previous year, and

(c) provide a copy of that report to the Board and the Minister.

(2) The audit committee shall, on and after the relevant day—

(a) advise the Board on financial matters relating to its functions,

(b) report in writing at least once in every year to the Board on those matters, and

(c) provide a copy of that report to the Minister.

(3) The audit committee’s functions under subsections (1)(a) and (2)(a) include advising on the following matters:

(a) the proper implementation by the Executive of Government guidelines on financial issues;

(b) compliance by the Executive with—

(i) sections 33 and 33B, and

(ii) any other obligations imposed by law relating to financial matters;

(c) compliance by the chief executive officer with section 34A;

(d) the appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency of the Executive’s procedures relating to—

(i) public procurement,

(ii) seeking sanction for expenditure and complying with that sanction,

(iii) the acquisition, holding and disposal of assets,

(iv) risk management,

(v) financial reporting, and

(vi) internal audits.

(4) Subject to subsection (7), the audit committee shall meet at least 4 times in each year and may invite any person it considers appropriate (whether that person is or is not an employee of the Executive) to attend a meeting of the committee.

(5) The chief executive officer shall—

(a) ensure that the audit committee is provided with all of the Executive’s audit reports, audit plans and monthly reports on expenditure, and

(b) if he or she has reason to suspect that any material misappropriation of the Executive’s money, or any fraudulent conversion or misapplication of the Executive’s property, may have taken place, report that matter to the audit committee as soon as practicable.

(6) The chief executive officer shall furnish to the audit committee information on any financial matter or procedure necessary for the performance of its functions by the committee when requested to do so by the audit committee and where such information relates to—

(a) any contract that the Executive proposes to enter into involving expenditure of an amount in excess of a threshold specified by the committee, and

(b) any legal proceedings taken or threatened against the Executive that may give rise to potential financial liability.

(7) A meeting of the old audit committee held in the same year as the year in which the relevant day falls shall count as a meeting of the new audit committee for the purposes of subsection (4).]]

41.— (1) The Minister may convene, at such time as he or she may determine, a National Health Consultative Forum to advise the Minister on matters relating to the provision of health and personal social services.

(2) The Minister may, F147[…]—

(a) specify the number of members of the Forum,

(b) determine the manner in which the members are to be nominated,

(c) appoint the members, and

(d) determine the rules and procedures of the Forum.

(3) The expenses of the Forum are payable by the Minister out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.

42.— (1) After consulting the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Minister shall, by regulation—

(a) establish such number (not exceeding 4) of regional health forums as the Minister considers appropriate, and

(b) appoint the establishment day of each regional health forum.

(2) The function of a regional health forum is to make such representations to the Executive as the forum considers appropriate on the range and operation of health and personal social services provided within its functional area, but it may not consider or make representations concerning any of the following matters:

(a) a matter relating solely to the exercise of clinical judgment by a person acting on behalf of the Executive or a service provider;

(b) a matter relating to an action taken by the Executive or a service provider if the action was taken solely on the advice of a person exercising clinical judgment in the circumstances described in paragraph (a);

(c) a matter relating to the recruitment or appointment of employees by the Executive or by a service provider;

(d) a matter relating to or affecting the terms or conditions (including those relating to superannuation benefits, disciplinary procedures or grievance procedures) of a contract of employment that the Executive has entered into or proposes to enter into.

(3) A regional health forum is to be composed of members of each city council and each county council within the functional area of the forum who are to be appointed as members of the forum by that city council or county council as follows:

(a) in the case of the first appointment of the members of a regional health forum, at the meeting of the city council or county council held next after the establishment of the regional health forum;

(b) in any other case, at the meeting of the city council or county council held next after the election of members of the council concerned.

(4) A person ceases to be a member of a regional health forum on ceasing to be a member of the city council or county council that appointed the person as a member of the forum.

(5) Regulations under this section shall—

(a) specify the title of each regional health forum and define its functional area,

(b) specify the number of members for each regional health forum and the number of members from each city council and each county council to be nominated to each regional health forum, and

(c) specify requirements relating to the manner in which the functions of a regional health forum are to be performed.

(6) Regulations under this section may, among other things, prescribe requirements concerning the following matters:

(a) the appointment of members to a regional health forum;

(b) the election of a chairperson and vice-chairperson of each regional health forum;

(c) the filling of casual vacancies;

(d) the meetings and procedures of a regional health forum;

(e) the establishment of committees of a regional health forum and the appointment of their members;

(f) rules and procedures to ensure the proper administration of each regional health forum.

(7) The Executive shall provide, or arrange for the provision of, such administrative services as may be necessary to enable a regional health forum to perform its function.

(8) The expenses of a regional health forum are payable by the Executive.

(9) A member of a regional health forum or a committee established by such forum may be paid by the Executive travelling and subsistence allowances in accordance with such scales as may, from time to time, be approved by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance.

43.— (1) The Executive may take such steps as it considers appropriate to consult with local communities or other groups about health and personal social services.

(2) Such steps may include the establishment by the Executive of panels to advise the Executive or to enable it to seek the views of—

(a) persons who are being or have been provided with a health or personal social service or who are seeking or have sought a health or personal social service,

(b) carers of persons referred to in paragraph (a),

(c) service providers, and

(d) such other persons as the Executive considers appropriate.

(3) Subject to subsection (4), the Executive shall determine for each panel established under this section—

(a) its terms of reference,

(b) the manner in which its members are to be nominated, and

(c) the rules governing its meetings and procedures.

(4) A panel may not consider, or provide advice or views to the Executive concerning, a matter that under paragraphs (a) to (d) of section 42(2) a regional health forum is not authorised to consider.

(5) In providing advice to the Executive, a panel shall have regard to—

(a) the approved corporate plan in operation at the time,

(b) the approved service plan in operation at the time, and

(c) any arrangement under section 38 with a service provider.

(6) The Executive shall provide, or arrange for the provision of, such administrative services as may be necessary to enable a panel to perform its functions.

(7) The following allowances and expenses are payable by the Executive:

(a) the travelling and subsistence allowances of panel members in accordance with such scales as may be determined from time to time by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance;

(b) the expenses of a panel.

(8) The Executive may dissolve a panel established under this section.

44.— (1) The Minister may direct the Executive in writing to—

(a) establish an advisory panel for a purpose specified by the Minister, and

(b) appoint one or more than one person specified by the Minister as a member of the panel.

(2) The Minister may determine the terms of reference of a panel established under this section and may dissolve the panel at any time.

(3) Subsections (4) to (7) of section 43 apply with the necessary modifications in relation to an advisory panel established under this section.

45.— In this Part—

“action” means anything done or omitted to be done—

(a) by the Executive, or

(b) by a service provider in connection with the provision of—

(i) a health or personal social service that is the subject of an arrangement under section 38 , or

(ii) a service in respect of which assistance is given under section 39 ;

“close relative”, in relation to another person, means a person who—

(a) is a parent, guardian, son, daughter or spouse of the other person, or

(b) is cohabiting with the other person;

“complaints officer” means a person designated—

(a) by the Executive for the purpose of dealing with complaints made to it in accordance with procedures established under section 49(1)(a), or

(b) by a service provider for the purpose of dealing with complaints made to the service provider in accordance with procedures established under section 49(1)(a) or (2);

“complaint” means a complaint made under this Part about any action of the Executive or a service provider that—

(a) it is claimed, does not accord with fair or sound administrative practice, and

(b) adversely affects the person by whom or on whose behalf the complaint is made;

“complainant” means a person who is entitled under section 46 to make a complaint under this Part on the person's own behalf or on behalf of another.

46.— (1) Any person who is being or was provided with a health or personal social service by the Executive or by a service provider or who is seeking or has sought provision of such service may complain, in accordance with the procedures established under this Part, about any action of the Executive or a service provider that—

(a) it is claimed, does not accord with fair and sound administrative practice, and

(b) adversely affects or affected that person.

(2) For the purposes of this Part, an action does not accord with fair and sound administrative practice if it is—

(a) taken without proper authority,

(b) taken on irrelevant grounds,

(c) the result of negligence or carelessness,

(d) based on erroneous or incomplete information,

(e) improperly discriminatory,

(f) based on undesirable administrative practice, or

(g) in any other respect contrary to fair or sound administration.

(3) If a person entitled under this section to make a complaint is unable to do so because of age, illness or disability, the complaint may be made on that person's behalf by—

(a) a close relative F148[or civil partner within the meaning of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010] or carer of the person,

(b) any person who, by law or by appointment of a court, has the care of the affairs of that person,

(c) any legal representative of the person,

(d) any other person with the consent of the person, or

(e) any other person who is appointed as prescribed in the regulations.

(4) If a person who would otherwise have been entitled under this section to make a complaint is deceased, a complaint may be made by a person who, at the time of the action in relation to which the complaint is made, was a close relative F148[or civil partner within the meaning of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010] or carer of that person.

47.— (1) A complaint must be made within the specified period or Time limit for any extension of that period allowed under subsection (3). making complaints.

(2) The specified period is 12 months beginning before or after the commencement of this section, but not later than—

(a) the date of the action giving rise to the complaint, or

(b) if the person by whom or on whose behalf the complaint is to be made did not become aware of that action until after that date, the date on which he or she becomes aware of it.

(3) A complaints officer may extend the time limit for making a complaint if in the opinion of the complaints officer special circumstances make it appropriate to do so.

48.— (1) A person is not entitled to make a complaint about any of the following matters:

(a) a matter that is or has been the subject of legal proceedings before a court or tribunal;

(b) a matter relating solely to the exercise of clinical judgment by a person acting on behalf of either the Executive or a service provider;

(c) an action taken by the Executive or a service provider solely on the advice of a person exercising clinical judgment in the circumstances described in paragraph (b);

(d) a matter relating to the recruitment or appointment of an employee by the Executive or a service provider;

(e) a matter relating to or affecting the terms or conditions of a contract of employment that the Executive or a service provider proposes to enter into or of a contract with an adviser that the Executive proposes to enter into under section 24 ;

(f) a matter relating to the Social Welfare Acts;

(g) a matter that could be the subject of an appeal under section 60 of the Civil Registration Act 2004;

(h) a matter that could prejudice an investigation being undertaken by the Garda Síochána;

(i) a matter that has been brought before any other complaints procedure established under an enactment.

(2) Subsection (1)(i) does not prevent a complaints officer from dealing with a complaint that was made to the Ombudsman or the Ombudsman for Children and that is referred by him or her to a complaints officer.

(3) In relation to a contract referred to in subsection (1)(e) “terms or conditions” includes terms or conditions relating to superannuation benefits, disciplinary procedures or grievance procedures.

49.— (1) Subject to subsection (2) and any regulations under section 53 , the Executive shall establish procedures for—

(a) dealing with complaints against the Executive or a service provider, and

(b) reviewing, at the request of a complainant, any recommendation made by a complaints officer following the investigation of a complaint.

(2) Any service provider may, with the agreement of the Executive, establish procedures, in place of the procedures established under subsection (1)(a), for dealing with complaints against the service provider.

(3) The Executive may agree to a service provider establishing such procedures if satisfied that they will be of a comparable standard to the procedures established by the Executive under subsection (1)(a).

(4) Subject to any regulations under section 53 , the Executive may assign to another body the Executive's functions in relation to reviewing, and establishing procedures for reviewing, any recommendation made by a complaints officer.

50.— (1) A complaints officer shall not investigate a complaint if—

(a) the person who made the complaint is not entitled under section 46 to do so either on the person's own behalf or on behalf of another,

(b) the complaint is made after the expiry of the period specified in section 47(2) or any extension of that period allowed under section 47(3).

(2) A complaints officer may decide not to investigate or further investigate an action to which a complaint relates if, after carrying out a preliminary investigation into the action or after proceeding to investigate such action, that officer—

(a) is of the opinion that—

(i) the complaint does not disclose a ground of complaint provided for in section 46 ,

(ii) the subject-matter of the complaint is excluded by section 48 ,

(iii) the subject-matter of the complaint is trivial, or

(iv) the complaint is vexatious or not made in good faith,

or

(b) is satisfied that the complaint has been resolved.

(3) A complaints officer shall, as soon as practicable after determining that he or she is prohibited by subsection (1) from investigating a complaint or after deciding under subsection (2) not to investigate or further investigate a complaint, inform the complainant in writing of the determination or decision and the reasons for it.

51.— (1) A complaints officer may not, following the investigation of a complaint, make a recommendation the implementation of which would require or cause—

(a) the Executive to make a material amendment to its approved service plan, or

(b) a service provider and the Executive to make a material amendment to an arrangement under section 38 .

(2) If, in the opinion of the relevant person, such a recommendation is made, that person shall either—

(a) amend the recommendation in such manner as makes the amendment to the applicable service plan or arrangement unnecessary, or

(b) reject the recommendation and take such other measures to remedy, mitigate or alter the adverse effect of the matter to which the complaint relates as the relevant person considers appropriate.

(3) Pending the outcome of a review, the relevant person may suspend the implementation of a recommendation made by a complaints officer if satisfied that, in the interests of fair and sound administration, it is appropriate to do so.

(4) In this section “relevant person” means—

(a) in relation to a complaint dealt with by the Executive in accordance with the procedures established under section 49(1), the F149[chief executive officer] and

(b) in relation to a complaint dealt with in accordance with the procedures established by a service provider under section 49(2), the service provider.

52.— (1) It is a condition of any arrangement under section 38 with a service provider that the service provider will—

(a) adhere to the complaints procedures established by the Executive in accordance with section 49(1) and any regulations under section 53 , or

(b) establish the procedures agreed under section 49(2) and adhere to those procedures.

(2) In addition, it is a condition of such arrangement that the service provider will co-operate with the Executive, or with any body to which the Executive assigns its functions under section 49(4), in any review of a recommendation made by a complaints officer following the investigation of a complaint against the service provider.

(3) The Executive shall exercise any rights or remedies available to it under such arrangement if the service provider concerned does not fulfil any of the applicable conditions specified in subsections (1) and (2).

53.— (1) The Minister may make regulations for the purposes of this Part.

(2) Regulations under this section may, among other things, make provision for the following matters:

(a) requirements to be complied with by complainants;

(b) the appointment of persons as complaints officers and the functions of complaints officers;

(c) the procedure to be followed in investigating complaints;

(d) the making of recommendations by complaints officers following the investigation of complaints and the nature of the recommendations that, subject to section 51 , they are authorised to make;

(e) the implementation of recommendations made by complaints officers;

(f) the appointment of persons as review officers and the functions of those officers;

(g) the procedure to be followed in undertaking reviews;

(h) the making of recommendations by review officers following the review of a complaint and the nature of the recommendations that they are authorised to make;

(i) the implementation of recommendations made by review officers;

(j) the assignment by the Executive of the review functions referred to in section 49(4) to any other body or person.

54.— (1) Nothing in this Part prohibits or prevents any person who is dissatisfied with a recommendation made or step taken in response to a complaint under this Part or with a review under this Part from referring the complaint to the Ombudsman or the Ombudsman for Children.

(2) For the purposes of the Ombudsman Acts 1980 to 1984 and the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002, any action taken by a service provider in relation to a health or personal social service in respect of which the service provider has entered into an arrangement under section 38 or received assistance under section 39 is deemed to have been taken by the Executive.

55.— (1) The Executive shall submit to the Minister, as part of the Executive's annual report, a general report on the performance of its functions under this Part during the previous year containing such information as the Executive considers appropriate or as the Minister may specify.

(2) A service provider who has established a complaints procedure by agreement with the Executive shall in each year, at such time and in such manner as the Executive may determine, provide the Executive with a general report on the complaints received by the service provider during the previous year indicating—

(a) the total number of complaints received,

(b) the nature of the complaints,

(c) the number of complaints resolved by informal means, and

(d) the outcome of any investigations into the complaints.

(3) If the Executive assigns its functions under section 49(4) to another body, that body shall in each year, at such time and in such manner as the Executive may determine, provide the Executive with a general report on the reviews conducted by it during the previous year indicating—

(a) the total number of reviews,

(b) the nature of the reviews, and

(c) the outcome of the reviews.

55A.— In this Part and Schedule 2A:

‘actions’ means anything done or omitted to be done;

‘authorised person’ means, unless otherwise specified, a person appointed in accordance with section 55H(3);

‘chief inspector’ means the person who is appointed to the Office of the Chief Inspector of Social Services in accordance with section 40 of the Health Act 2007;

‘designated centre’ means a designated centre as defined in section 2 (1) of the Health Act 2007;

‘employee’ means a person who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, had entered into or worked under) a contract of employment with or is (or was) placed for the purpose of vocational training with any of the following:

(a) the Executive;

(b) another person providing a service similar to a service provided by the Executive who employs or has a contractual arrangement with a person registered with a professional regulatory body;

(c) a service provider;

(d) any other person receiving assistance in accordance with section 39 of this Act or section 10 of the Child Care Act 1991 ;

(e) a designated centre other than a designated centre operated by a relevant body;

(f) a mental health service other than a mental health service operated by a relevant body;

(g) a body established under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act 1961 ; or

(h) any other person who provides a service for the purpose of providing staff to any of the persons or bodies referred to in paragraphs (a) to (g);

‘employer’, in relation to an employee, means a person or body (including a service provider or designated centre or mental health service) listed in the definition of ‘employee’;

‘Health Information and Quality Authority’ means the body established in accordance with section 6 of the Health Act 2007;

‘mental health services’ means mental health services as defined in section 2 (1) of the Mental Health Act 2001 ;

‘Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland’ means the body constituted in accordance with section 4 of the Pharmacy Act (Ireland) 1875;

‘professional regulatory body’ means—

(a) an Bord Altranais,

(b) the Dental Council,

(c) the Health and Social Care Professionals Council,

(d) the Medical Council, or

(e) the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland;

‘relevant body’ means—

(a) the Executive,

(b) a service provider,

(c) any other person who has received or is receiving assistance in accordance with section 39 of this Act or section 10 of the Child Care Act 1991, or

(d) a body established under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act 1961 ;

‘Scheduled body’ means a body referred to in Schedule 2A.]

55B.— Where an employee of a relevant body makes, in good faith, a disclosure to an authorised person and the employee has reasonable grounds for believing that it will show one or more of the following:

(a) that the health or welfare of a person who is receiving a health or personal social service in accordance with this Act has been, is or is likely to be at risk;

(b) that the actions of any person employed by or acting on behalf of the relevant body has posed, is posing or is likely to pose a risk to the health or welfare of the public;

(c) that the relevant body or a person employed by or acting on behalf of the relevant body failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any legal obligation to which the relevant body or person is subject in the performance of the relevant body’s or person’s functions;

(d) that the conduct of the relevant body or of a person employed by or acting on behalf of the relevant body has led, is leading or is likely to lead to a misuse or substantial waste of public funds;

(e) that evidence of any matter falling within any of paragraphs (a) to (d) has been, is being or is likely to be deliberately concealed or destroyed;

the disclosure shall be a protected disclosure under this Act.]

55C.— Where an employee of a person carrying on the business of a designated centre other than a centre operated by a relevant body makes, in good faith, a disclosure to the chief inspector and the employee has reasonable grounds for believing that the disclosure will show one or more of the following:

(a) that the actions of any person employed by or acting on behalf of a person carrying on the business of a designated centre has posed, is posing or is likely to pose a risk to the health or welfare of a resident of the centre;

(b) that the person carrying on the business of a designated centre has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any of the following which are applicable to the designated centre:

(i) a provision of regulations made under the Health Act 2007;

(ii) a standard made under the Health Act 2007;

(iii) any other statutory obligation;

(c) that evidence of any matter falling within either of paragraphs (a) and (b) has been, is being or is likely to be deliberately concealed or destroyed;

the disclosure shall be a protected disclosure under this Act.]

55D.— Where an employee of a person providing mental health services other than a relevant body makes, in good faith, a disclosure to the Mental Health Commission or the Inspector of Mental Health Services, and the employee has reasonable grounds for believing that the disclosure will show one or more of the following:

(a) that the actions of any person employed by or acting on behalf of the person providing the services has posed, is posing or is likely to pose a risk to the health or welfare of a person receiving the service;

(b) that a person providing the services has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any of the following which are applicable to the person:

(i) a provision of the Mental Health Acts 1945 to 2001;

(ii) a provision of regulations made under those Acts;

(iii) any other statutory obligation;

(c) that evidence of any matter falling within either of paragraphs (a) and (b) has been, is being or is likely to be deliberately concealed or destroyed;

the disclosure shall be a protected disclosure under this Act.]

55E.— Where a person makes, in good faith, a disclosure to a professional regulatory body, which the person has reasonable grounds for believing will show that the actions of any person, the exercise of whose profession requires him or her to be registered with a professional regulatory body, has posed, is posing or is likely to pose a risk to the health or welfare of the public, the disclosure shall be a protected disclosure under this Act.]