Health tapes: Watt advised officials to take ‘minimalist approach’ to Sláintecare reforms

The secretary general of the Department of Health also warned of ‘endless claims’ from unions

Robert Watt, the secretary general of the Department of Health, was worried that a ‘big restructuring [would] lead to endless claims and endless hand-to-hand combat’ with the unions. Picture: RollingNews

Robert Watt, the secretary general of the Department of Health, has told his officials that he wants to pursue a “minimalist approach” to Sláintecare because of his fears that it will lead to “endless claims” from unions, a new leaked recording reveals.

The Business Post has obtained a recording of a meeting of the department’s top officials on January 20 of this year where Watt detailed his concern about “big lumps of money sloshing around” ...