Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My final question is on governance and procedures. Mr. O'Brien said he was learning every day about procedures and enforcement. With regard to the general structure in Console, the CEO, the chairperson and the board, or so-called board, was in place. From what I read it seemed to involve three members of one family, although other names might have been mentioned. Did warning bells not ring in the HSE? We are talking about 1,700 organisations.

What was in place to make sure the board or whoever was running the institution was up to scratch or providing the HSE with answers as to whether there was a proper structure or proper governance in place? It seems to me that there was no proper structure in Console for years, only an individually run, family-controlled one. Did it not signal a warning somewhere along the line that there were no outside board members, no proper board, no proper report and no proper, minuted board meetings and that when the HSE looked for information, there was no board there to answer?