Mr. Joe O'Flynn:

First, it is regrettable that it did sour because initially I thought there was common purpose in trying to identify the facts and clear up the issues around the public funds involved. The relationship soured primarily because our view was that material was being leaked from the HSE to the media and it would not provide us with copies of the material. Our organisation was being very specifically targeted, as the recipient of the grant, as being the one responsible for the inappropriate use of public moneys. That led to a difficulty developing in the relationship between us and the HSE. I very much regret that because it was probably a distraction from getting to the facts sooner than we did.

We were as anxious as anyone else to try to get the complete picture of all the activity surrounding this fund. That is, frankly, why we suggested, following the difficulties with the HSE that the Comptroller and Auditor General would conduct the inquiry. We did that because there were several public bodies involved in the funding arrangements. As well as that it would have statutory powers which our trustees did not have to obtain material which only subsequently came to light in the context of the Comptroller and Auditor General's investigation.