Mr. Tony O'Brien:

Yes. The legislation that disestablished the HSE Vote and incorporated it within the departmental Vote for this year and beyond established the Secretary General of the Department of Health as the Accounting Officer for the health Vote. This means there will not be a separate appropriation account for the HSE next year. There will be an annual financial statement, AFS, as the Comptroller and Auditor General has said.

The legislation, however, provides that from this year forward, I am an accountable officer as distinct from an Accounting Officer. It specifically provides that part of my function is to attend, and answer questions before, this committee and other Oireachtas committees when called on to do so. We will continue to have the pleasure of each other's company in that role. Typically, I would be here with the Accounting Officer, being the Secretary General of the Department of Health.