The HSE has confirmed it is in informal talks with one of the country's leading security groups to stop the leaking of confidential documents by its staff.

The HSE has opened negotiations with Risk Management Ireland (RMI) after senior management express­ed concern that confidential internal documents are being regularly released to journalists.

HSE national communications director Paul Connors said, "We are very conscious of the security of our documents in that there would be files on negotiations between ourselves and unions which, if leaked, could lead to major embarrassment and upset.

"There would also be issues of sensitivity, such as in the case of files in relation to children's issues, that could lead to legal problems for us. There is currently no systematic protection of documents in place and I have started looking at a review of the system. There have been informal communications with RMI and they would be one of the main companies we are scoping out."

Connors said there is a "very strong possibility" the talks would move into formal stages and contracts between the two groups would be signed. RMI has contracts with over 40 companies, including government departments. Among the measures that could be taken to protect internal information could be the coding of all documents.

Last summer, documents were leaked from the HSE outlining proposals to cut nearly 1,000 staff and redeploy 2,000 employees. The confidential information was issued only to top HSE managers, but subsequently appear­ed in the national press.

Last June, confidential correspondence between the HSE and Galway University Hospital, in which the hospital manager warned further cutbacks would prevent the hospital operating its cancer services, was also leaked.

Although the RMI refused to comment on the talks, its website says its has expertise in information security.

"There is an increased awareness of, and requirement for enhanced information security and IT security amongst corporations, institutions and government bodies," it says. The organisation also deals with threats of terrorism and organised crime.

RMI was set up by a group of former army officers and senior gardaí in 1993, and was allegedly contracted in 2005 by billionaire philanthropist Chuck Feeney to undertake private investigations.

"When I joined the HSE nine months ago I became very conscious of the fact that the HSE does not have as systematic a system for the protection of private documents as, say, the Defence Forces does. If we have a robust system, the sensitive information in it will remain so," said Connors.