Mr. Tony O'Brien:

We will have a look to see what our records tell us. We will examine the matter and come back to the Deputy, as is the norm for questions looking for specific detail that we do not have with us. We will come back with the relevant information.

To return to the issue of whistleblowing, of course there could be other ways of approaching the situation but I do not have the luxury of waiting for other people to make that decision. As members have correctly identified, I am the executive head of an agency that has a king size problem, a very substantial problem. We know from what has been reported back to us that there is reticence about blowing the whistle, probably borne of past negative experience. I am taking the step of appointing someone who has been an excellent critic of the HSE and a fearless advocate across two continents, who has even been arrested for her trouble, in the hopes that will give people confidence to come forward and say to her things they may not in present circumstances say to the manager of their facility, a national director, to me or even a regulator. We need that intelligence. I know from the feedback I have had since I communicated with the system the day before the programme was produced that there are many people out there who want that channel and will use that channel.