Dr. Ambrose McLoughlin:

I can only relay to the Deputy what I have seen in the files. At that time, the Government of the day sought to reform the health system, the HSE was being established and there was a need to give reassurance to all of the players in the industrial arena that change would be managed effectively and in partnership. It is manifestly clear that this was the intent of the Government of the day.

I was in the health system at that time and left the health boards at the end of December. I got a better opportunity to develop my career elsewhere but I knew a major reform programme was under way. The HSE was established on 1 January 2005 and has been with us today. I can assure the Deputy that based on the files, everybody was operating on the basis of Government policy. I have already made it clear in my statement. It was policy coming from the highest levels of Government. This was not being dealt with at HSE level. It is very clear from the files that the whole partnership agenda and the reform of the health service at that time, including the establishment of the HSE, had been ongoing for a number of years but was the explicit policy of the Government at the time. It was explicit Government policy to collaborate with the unions and staff associations in the context of the changes the Government wished to put in place.