Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy has welcomed the decision of the Public Accounts Committee to write to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform recommending that the recruitment process for the new Secretary General of the Department of Health be stopped pending a full review of the remuneration provided for the post.

Carthy described the decision as an important and welcome move that should be heeded by government.

Teachta Carthy said:

“The Public Accounts Committee has a responsibility to oversee public expenditure and to highlight unjustified spending of taxpayers’ money.

“The committee has, in response to correspondence received from DPER, come to the view that there was no process, no rationale and no justification provided for the proposed salary increase of €82,000 for the new Secretary General of the Department of Health.

“The committee is also of the view that if the recruitment process continues, it could lead to an unjustified outlay by the state both in this specific instance and with any future pay-claims which will certainly arise.

“It is absolutely in line with the remit of the Public Accounts Committee to bring these concerns to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and to request that the recruitment process stops pending a full review of the remuneration for the post.

“The government must take note of the position of the PAC and should immediately stop the recruitment process to order to ensure full confidence in the process.”