Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their volunteering, for giving of their time and for their commitment to the project in recent years because it is a testament to the quality that currently is on the board. I wish to add a tiny note to the effect it is sad that Mr. O'Flynn was obliged to say - I know why he said it - he was pleased the boards now are based on competency as opposed to the way it used to be done regionally. It is just bonkers to think we would have done it the way we did, but that was then and this is now, so I say "well done" to the witnesses.

While I am merely being nosy, I have two questions for the witnesses. Two points Mr. O'Flynn made concerned the reduction of emergency departments from five to two and that in the reconfiguration of services, it was vital to have good transport between locations. What engagement did the board have with either sets of bodies, that is, from the National Ambulance Service, the national emergency delivery services, or from transport authorities or transport providers? Did it have serious engagement with them and did it change its plans? Will the witnesses describe this process to me?