James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have great sympathy with the arguments that have been made. However, the issue under discussion is the establishment of a new directorate and the abolition of the board of the Health Service Executive. These measures will be a stepping stone towards the end of the HSE, which, under my plan, will cease to function either next year or in early 2015. The Chairman is correct to express concern about the democratic deficit. The new structures will have to address this issue because it is important to have accountability and transparency in the operation of the health service at local and national level. However, such accountability must be balanced with the need to avoid the interference which sometimes occurred at local level in the past. This dynamic is at play irrespective of what one does. As soon as establish a new structure, people will find away to enable them to pursue their interests or agendas. I fully accept the concerns the Chairman raises and will take them on board when replacing the current HSE with new structures.