Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

SIPTU officials will testify that I am not known to be their defender generally. I have had my own public disagreements with the union, but I found the evidence given by its general secretary to be honest. I do not believe SIPTU as a corporate entity was aware of this. It was misused as a vehicle for the misspending of public money by senior officials who have serious questions to answer and it is regrettable that they will not do so before the committee.

I refer to the HSE and departmental officials who travelled. If I was in either organisation at the time and wanted to go on one of the trips to New York, Australia, Los Angeles, Boston, Georgia, what was the process involved? Who decided who travelled? The reason Deputy Derek Nolan and I are lost for words at this stage is that the answer given is that it was the system and that it was systemic failure. Presumably, officials sanctioned travel and senior officials in both organisations felt at the time that it was appropriate. I can name them, but I do not wish to. Who decided that the people concerned should travel?