Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish the witnesses a happy new year and the best of luck because this will be a challenging and difficult year.

My question is for Mr. Tony O'Brien. I am not trying to be picky. He talked about language when responding to other people about the known unknowns of the €108 million and the €80 million carryover from last year. It was €200 million that was unknown to him in the last plan that caused him to have anxieties about the risks associated with the plan, which were subsequently eased, allowing him to change the language in the new plan. I see €188 million in known unknowns here, which potentially puts this year's plan at risk. I wish to ask a specific question about the two ring-fenced areas. These are pay-related savings targets. It is stated that they will not involve any additional payroll reductions outside of what is already in the Haddington Road agreement, aside from the €140 million targeted for Haddington Road and agreed by everybody, and no new measures will be introduced that are not already in the Haddington Road agreement. I am not sure I understand that. I hope it does not sound as though I am thick. A total of €140 million is coming from Haddington Road, and another €188 million is to come from Haddington Road also, but we do not know from where it will come. Who is in charge of that verification process? What is the scope of that verification process? Mr. O'Brien indicated earlier that a verification process might result in the money's not being found. If that is the case, what happens to that €188 million at the end of this year? Is it the case that we just do not hit the target and we come back looking for more money?

With regard to the decrease in staff to 98,000 whole-time equivalents, how many people does that mean we will actively seek to make redundant this year? What changes will need to be made to practices in order that overall hours are reduced?

We have been talking about language. I wish to ask a question because I am really curious about something. In the opening paragraph of his statement, Mr. O'Brien mentioned the Mid-Staffordshire report, the Keogh report and the HIQA investigations into safety and clinical care at Galway University Hospital. That makes me nervous. Is he trying to say something else? Is he trying to say it will be difficult to provide a patient-led service this year given the budget constraints? He mentioned earlier that had the HSE gone ahead with the previous service plan he felt it would have caused immediate corrective actions to be sought during this fiscal year. Is Mr. O'Brien 100% sure that the fear he had has been alleviated, or does he still see that as being in play this year?