A new agency, the Health Service Executive (HSE), assumed responsibility for the health service in the Republic of Ireland on January 1, 2005.

The Government's Health Service Reform Programme set out decisions on the streamlining of the health service, including the incorporation of the functions of the Health Boards, the Eastern Regional Health Authority, Comhairle na nOspidéal and other specialist agencies into the Health Service Executive and the devolution of certain functions from the Department of Health and Children to the HSE.

In this regard, Comhairle na nOspidéal is now under the auspices of the Health Service Executive and is known as the National Hospitals Office/Comhairle.

Following separate requests from the Minister for Health & Children and the iHSE, the current members of Comhairle na nOspidéal have agreed to complete the specialty reviews and related business currently being undertaken and to continue to provide expert advice in relation to the regulation of new and replacement Consultant posts and the qualifications for such appointments until its term of office ends in December 2005, albeit on a non-statutory basis.

The Comhairle na nOspidéal website remains available to view for public information purposes. All references on this site that refer to Comhairle na nOspidéal should now be regarded as National Hospitals Office / Comhairle.

If you wish to view the Comhairle na nOspidéal or the Health Service Executive sites please click on the relevant link:

View Comhairle na nOspidéal website

View the Health Service Executive website