HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill say voluntary hospitals should use the integrated financial management system used by HSE institutions. Photograph: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

In his final appearance at the Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as HSE chief executive before his forthcoming retirement, Bernard Gloster, made clear his frustrations at oversight and governance arrangements in parts of the health service.

There were too many agencies and organisations, he suggested, with some operating with a misplaced understanding of their independence given their almost total reliance on the exchequer for funding.

The immediate backdrop to the HSE chief’s comments were moves to have 16 voluntary hospitals – including some of the largest institutions in the country – introduce a new Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS). Already close to €200 million has been spent on this system, which has been introduced in facilities run directly by the HSE.

At the PAC hearing on October 16th Fine Gael TD Joe Neville questioned why the system had not been installed in the voluntary hospitals.

“Is any pushback being received from them on this?” he asked.

“Yes”, replied Gloster, lifting a veil on a row that has been under way between voluntary hospitals and the HSE since the summer and which in the last fortnight has seen Ministers become directly involved.

Gloster told the committee that through their collective association, “these hospitals have expressed to me the view t