Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Professor Keane for his comprehensive overview. As a trade union representative, I attended a number of his presentations. There was early buy-in from the trade unions. That was essential. It would even have been the case in advance of Professor Keane's appointment, as the parameters for the buy-in had been laid down as part of a national wage agreement that had been negotiated previously in recognition of the fact that significant change would be required.

Professor Keane mentioned that he had been given autonomy. To follow on from one of Deputy O'Connell's questions, to what extent was Professor Keane able to operate his own budget or was his work dictated - I do not mean that negatively - by the Department?

Professor Keane referred to how he operated separately or in tandem with the HSE. Does the structure of the HSE lend itself to the type of ground-breaking change of which Professor Keane was in charge? Has he suggestions on how to better match the HSE with large projects like the national cancer control programme, NCCP?