Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses and I am glad to be here today. As the Minister knows, the Committee on Public Accounts sits at the same time as this committee and I rarely get to come here. I missed having the privilege of asking him questions approximately a month ago so I am glad to be here.

Who is running health care in this country at this moment in time? We must learn something from this. There are 15 people here, which is too many. For future quarterly reviews I ask that we have the Minister and the Ministers of State, and I hope the Minister of State, Deputy Corcoran Kennedy, is back at the Department holding the fort, the Secretary General and the head of the HSE. If they cannot answer questions that is fine, but the idea of having 15 people here is insane. It is ridiculous. I ask that we set this or some variance as a standard. Several minutes ago the Minister was asked a question and passed it on to Mr. O'Brien who passed it to Ms Mannion who said she would send on the report. It is ridiculous. I sat on the other side many times myself. We filled the role once or twice when I was there. The idea of having 15 people to answer questions is absolutely ridiculous and it is not good value for the taxpayer on a day like today.

I wish to ask about nursing. I do not know what the Secretary General is laughing at. Perhaps he will tell us. Does he have something to share?