Ms Anne O'Connor:

The concerns in 2009, which we mentioned earlier related to whether it was a going concern. Those issues were discussed with Console. In 2013, the funding increased. At that time, it was urgent. The helpline was about to collapse and there was a very significant focus on supporting people who were bereaved by suicide at that time. An immediate action had to be taken. Console were already a provider of a similar helpline and it was felt that was the best fit at that time. The concerns that we see here in respect of the audit came to light and really materialised in 2014. It was when the audited accounts for 2013 were presented to the HSE in 2014 that the red flags went up. At the time the funding was given for the helpline in 2013, we did not have that information.