Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank everybody most sincerely for being here. I want to put on record, at a time when we hear a great deal of criticism in the House, on the public airwaves and in commentaries, that the staff of the HSE are always courteous to me, as Chairman and as a Member of the Oireachtas, and everybody here. They are efficient in their replies. We might not like the replies on occasions but the replies, unlike in the case of other agencies, come back promptly. In particular, I thank Mr. Paddy Burke of the medical card section for his replies. He has been courteous to and efficient with members of the committee and the Houses. I thank Mr. O'Brien's staff most sincerely for the work that they do. I thank, in general, the RDOs and hospital management staff and thank most sincerely, if I may, the HSE staff who are not in the public eye and who deal with queries from Members of the Oireachtas and from officials.

The HSE brand gets much bad press and while some of it is justified much of it is not. The staff is a credit to it and I thank sincerely those on the front line who have introduced reform and who work in difficult situations. On behalf of the committee I thank the witnesses for their engagement this morning. I ask them to please convey to their staff at various levels that we are appreciative. We do not have an adversarial and combative role; we are here as legislators and the witnesses have a job to do. I hope the staff recognises that we value the input they make at all levels and in all aspects of the service. I thank Mr. Ray Mitchell for liaising with us.