Dr. Geraldine Smith:

I wish to comment on four points. You referred, Chairman, to the general manager’s correspondence to the committee on his interaction with Turlough O’Sullivan. I have correspondence from our HR directorate to the general manager of SKILL about his interaction and it is important to put it on record. The general manager of SKILL refuted Mr. O’Sullivan’s assertion that he refused to meet him.

Essentially, HR in the Health Service Executive, HSE, sent a registered letter to the general manager on 13 July 2010 which was returned by An Post unopened. He did not accept delivery, neither did he attend the meeting with Mr. O'Sullivan. Further efforts were made by HR to contact the manager by telephone on four occasions. The national director who wrote this letter personally spoke to the general manager's wife who informed him that she would get the general manager to return the call, and he did not do so. The national director of HR called out to the former general manager's home to speak to him, without success. There were many attempts to engage with the general manager in relation to the Turlough O'Sullivan report. It is important that that be noted. I have a copy of that correspondence if the committee wants it.