John Crown (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am very sorry. I will finish on this point. It is regrettable that the Minister, the CEO and the chief medical officer have not been able to be present for the three days of hearings. They were present for the first session. The Minister left and we were under the impression that the CEO and the CMO of the Department of Health would be present, but they were not. I cancelled an international cancer meeting – not just my attendance but the meeting itself – of international speakers coming to this country. I cancelled clinics and got colleagues to cover ward rounds. It is regrettable we did not have a higher level ministerial presence.