Officials from the Department of Health met with representatives of the Troika on four separate occasions, the Medical Independent (MI) has learned.
According to information received under the Freedom of Information Act, officials from the Department of Finance and Department of Health met with officials from the IMF/ECB/EU within days of the November 2010 bailout.
According to the Department of Health, the members of the Troika mainly discussed the finances of acute hospitals and the primary care reimbursement service.
“These (meetings) were based on the financial information supplied by the HSE in its monthly performance management reports,” the Department told MI.
To the Department said the first meeting took place on 23 November 2010, just days after the bailout was accepted. The next meeting took place on 7 May 2011. The third meeting happened on the 6 July 2011. The final known meeting happened on 11 October 2011.
The Department was asked by this paper whether any further meetings took place and whether the Minister believes it was appropriate for members of the Troika to meet with the Department of Health. As of going to print, the Department had not responded.
The €85 billion bailout programme was accepted on 21 November 2010.