Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

One of the questions that I asked Ms Horan was what she would bring to her new position that would assuage any outstanding fears or concerns. We will not reopen the point about the HPV vaccine, but we will most certainly refer again to the experiences of the DePuy hip replacements and the PIP implants. Her comment that there will always be issues with health products does not give me the expectation that anything is necessarily going to change. I do not think that we should work on the basis that there will always be a risk factor, a percentage instance of less than satisfactory performance, inappropriate application or whatever. It is very important that the HPRA's role and function is understood and appreciated across the board. In relation to oversight of the HPRA, I have asked if there has been any re-evaluation of the attention given to the research into any of the products that we have mentioned - or any others that we have not - to see if lessons could be learnt or if better scrutiny, investigation, and testing could be employed. That is the particular area on which I would like to hear some additional comment, if the witness can oblige.

As a former member of staff at Bank of Ireland myself, I am only teasing Ms Horan with this last comment. She said she took up her board position in January 2009. She went on to say that was five years. It is seven years this month.