Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It was regrettable from our end. We have read the correspondence from our meeting on 20 December from Professor Whelan, Mr. Jermyn and the director of finance to the HSE and this committee on the view that the hospital group was compliant with public sector pay policy. Mr. Jermyn's letter to the committee quoted the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform suggesting it only referred to public sector pay. Ms Oonagh Buckley and Mr. Brazel from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform were present on the day and Mr. O'Brien and Ms Lawler attended from the HSE. Everyone was ad idemthat the hospital was not in compliance. Do the witnesses now accept that they were not in compliance? I have read the language in the opening statements and I have heard Professor Whelan's comments that he believes the group was in compliance but the HSE does not think so. Does Professor Whelan accept that, under the service level agreement and in the view of the HSE, the Department and the Government, the hospital group was not in compliance with public sector pay policy?