Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Professor Whelan and his colleagues for being here. I also thank the HSE representatives for remaining with us. At the outset I want to make three points that predicate my remarks. None of this exchange today and none of the work of the Committee of Public Accounts - I think I can speak collectively on that - in any way seeks to undermine or devalue the excellent service being provided to many patients in all the hospitals under the St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group and the excellent work being done by their front-line staff. The witnesses have given us an extensive list of health advances; let us take that as read.

To the best of my knowledge, at no stage has anybody suggested that any charitable funds have been used for pay or pensions. I am very happy to put it on the record that I do not suspect that or in any way allege it.

I welcome that the witnesses have come here with proposals and ideas. We will see how we get on with the proposals and ideas in terms of the questioning and the view of the HSE. However, I acknowledge that the witnesses have not come empty-handed.

I need to start at the beginning. The witnesses will have heard comments from members of this committee and others about the extreme disquiet we had about the refusal of the St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group to reveal the level of what has now become known as top-ups being paid to some of its management. I believe there are 34 section 38 organisations. When we met here in December, St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group was the only such organisation that had refused to reveal those payments. As Professor Whelan correctly said, we were rather cynical about the timing of the release of the information just before Christmas Eve. Why did the group refuse on the day we met in December to provide that information to us or the HSE? What was the reasoning behind the timing of the release and the group's change of mind on the issue?