Mr. Barry O'Brien:

It is on the basis that we can reach agreement with the St. Vincent's group on the mechanics and on how that responsibility and governance will operate. The real issue for us is that we have a situation whereby we are not contributing in any way with public funds to the group chief executive salary. That is the real essence of why we are here in the first place and what is happening. We are saying we will certainly continue to fund a hospital chief executive at the approved salary scale with all the terms and conditions. However, the funding of the group chief executive is a matter for the St. Vincent's group. The matter of governance and accountability for the public hospital would have to be absolutely copper-fastened in the service level agreement as well as ensuring that the public interest is fully safeguarded as part of the governance arrangement with the board.