Cathal Magee
Encyclopedia
Cathal Magee is the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Service Executive
(HSE) in Ireland
. He is also a non-executive director of insurance company Vhi Healthcare
.
Magee was born in County Cavan
. He holds a first class honours degree in Management from the IMI and a MSc in Organizational Behaviour from Trinity College, Dublin
. He worked for the National Australia Bank Group in the UK and Ireland. He was director of human resources and business restructuring with Bord na Móna
. He joined Telecom Éireann
, now Eircom
, in 1995 as group human resources director, then as head of the company's retail arm. He spent six months as acting chief executive of the company in 2009, during which time he started a major restructuring of Eircom's cost base following negotiations with its trade unions, and helped to scuttle Australian financier Rob Topfer's attempt to capture the business cheaply and make a second turn on Eircom. He served as acting CEO until Paul Donovan was appointed full time chief executive. He resigned his positions at Eircom in February 2010.
In May 2010, it was announced that Magee would succeed Professor Brendan Drumm as Chief Executive Officer of the HSE
. It was stated that Magee was the third choice for the job, behind original front-runner and Minster for Health, Mary Harney
's, stated favourite, Professor Tom Keane—and behind Mike Read, an experienced Australian health administrator. Both of these candidates had the advantage of coming from outside the Irish system; Magee's early career was in the health boards, regional precursors to the HSE.
A board member of Vhi Healthcare, the new chief executive has a particularly strong background in human resources. In his time with Eircom, he was noted for adopting a low-key, conciliatory approach to the unions, while at the same time delivering a major reform package for the telecoms company.
He formally began his role on 1 September 2010 for a five year term. In May Magee said the executive had nearly €1 billion less to spend this year than in 2010 but the demands on it continued to increase, with 7,000 extra attendances at hospital emergency departments in the first three months of this year alone. He said the system was not currently working well enough for the patient, as evidenced by waiting list figures and the number of patients on trolleys in emergency departments each day. The neglect of primary care had contributed to overcrowding in emergency departments but the new Government planned to move care to the community, he said. He described the Government’s plan to provide free GP care to all by 2016 as promised by Fine Gael
during the 2011 General Election as “ambitious”, but said “everyone is supportive of that objective if it can be delivered”.
Magee in his first annual report published on 15 June 2011 found that the financial and service information systems in the HSE “are not fit for purpose”. He refers to the fact that the executive was an amalgamation of 17 different bodies and has absorbed a further eight bodies since its formation in 2005, “Today, five years on, it still largely resembles a federation of former autonomous entities, rather than a coherent single integrated organisation model with a shared identity and mission,” he says.Magee also says “a legacy administrative culture still prevails” in the executive “reinforced in recent years through the highly centralised and rigid public service control. It is seriously out of line with the requirements, the demands and challenges of a dynamic 24/7 operating environment.
Magee lives with his American-born wife Rosaleen and their family in County Wicklow
. They have four children—two sons and two daughters.
Health Service Executive
The Health Service Executive is responsible for the provision of healthcare providing health and personal social services for everyone living in Ireland, with public funds. The Executive was established by the Health Act, 2004 and came into official operation on January 1, 2005...
(HSE) in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He is also a non-executive director of insurance company Vhi Healthcare
Vhi Healthcare
The Voluntary Health Insurance Board — which trades under the brand name Vhi Healthcare, and is still commonly referred to in Ireland as "The VHI" - is the largest health insurance company in the Republic of Ireland. It is a statutory corporation whose members are appointed by the Minister for...
.
Magee was born in County Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He holds a first class honours degree in Management from the IMI and a MSc in Organizational Behaviour from Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. He worked for the National Australia Bank Group in the UK and Ireland. He was director of human resources and business restructuring with Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna , abbreviated BNM, is a semi-state company in Ireland, created in 1946 by the Turf Development Act 1946. The company is responsible for the mechanised harvesting of peat, primarily in the Midlands of Ireland...
. He joined Telecom Éireann
Telecom Éireann
Telecom Éireann, or formally Bord Telecom Éireann - The Irish Telecommunications Board, was created by the Postal & Telecommunications Services Act, 1983 from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, Ireland, under the leadership of the Minister for Posts & Telegraphs...
, now Eircom
Eircom
Eircom Group LTD is a telecommunications company in the Republic of Ireland, and a former state-owned incumbent. It is currently the largest telecommunications operator in the Republic of Ireland and operates primarily on the island of Ireland, with a point of presence in Great Britain.As Bord...
, in 1995 as group human resources director, then as head of the company's retail arm. He spent six months as acting chief executive of the company in 2009, during which time he started a major restructuring of Eircom's cost base following negotiations with its trade unions, and helped to scuttle Australian financier Rob Topfer's attempt to capture the business cheaply and make a second turn on Eircom. He served as acting CEO until Paul Donovan was appointed full time chief executive. He resigned his positions at Eircom in February 2010.
In May 2010, it was announced that Magee would succeed Professor Brendan Drumm as Chief Executive Officer of the HSE
HSE
HSE may mean:*Healthy Survey for England* Higher Speed Ethernet - technology term* HSE Contractors Inc - CPM Scheduling Consultant* Health and Safety Executive, United Kingdom* Health Service Executive, Ireland...
. It was stated that Magee was the third choice for the job, behind original front-runner and Minster for Health, Mary Harney
Mary Harney
Mary Harney is a former Irish politician. She served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 1997–2004, and as Minister for Health and Children from 2004 to 2011...
's, stated favourite, Professor Tom Keane—and behind Mike Read, an experienced Australian health administrator. Both of these candidates had the advantage of coming from outside the Irish system; Magee's early career was in the health boards, regional precursors to the HSE.
A board member of Vhi Healthcare, the new chief executive has a particularly strong background in human resources. In his time with Eircom, he was noted for adopting a low-key, conciliatory approach to the unions, while at the same time delivering a major reform package for the telecoms company.
He formally began his role on 1 September 2010 for a five year term. In May Magee said the executive had nearly €1 billion less to spend this year than in 2010 but the demands on it continued to increase, with 7,000 extra attendances at hospital emergency departments in the first three months of this year alone. He said the system was not currently working well enough for the patient, as evidenced by waiting list figures and the number of patients on trolleys in emergency departments each day. The neglect of primary care had contributed to overcrowding in emergency departments but the new Government planned to move care to the community, he said. He described the Government’s plan to provide free GP care to all by 2016 as promised by Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
during the 2011 General Election as “ambitious”, but said “everyone is supportive of that objective if it can be delivered”.
Magee in his first annual report published on 15 June 2011 found that the financial and service information systems in the HSE “are not fit for purpose”. He refers to the fact that the executive was an amalgamation of 17 different bodies and has absorbed a further eight bodies since its formation in 2005, “Today, five years on, it still largely resembles a federation of former autonomous entities, rather than a coherent single integrated organisation model with a shared identity and mission,” he says.Magee also says “a legacy administrative culture still prevails” in the executive “reinforced in recent years through the highly centralised and rigid public service control. It is seriously out of line with the requirements, the demands and challenges of a dynamic 24/7 operating environment.
Magee lives with his American-born wife Rosaleen and their family in County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
. They have four children—two sons and two daughters.