Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Professor Keane for attending. I wish to ask a couple of questions about the funding being separate, which he touched on at the end. Did he receive initial funding to set everything up and, as programmes were closed down or moved between areas, their funding was also moved to keep the show on the road?

Will Professor Keane clarify the timelines? The strategy document was prepared over two years, but was that the first action? Was it accepted by the Minister of the day as the way forward? How long did it take from the document's inception to the time the programme started?

A major issue was the choosing of eight hospitals. How did that decision come about? Will Professor Keane also elaborate on some of the political barriers he came up against and how he dealt with them?