Mr. Phelim Quinn:

The chief inspector is a very singular role within HIQA. It is very specific and is not specifically accountable to the board of the authority but to the Houses of the Oireachtas. The chief inspector is employed, as are all her inspectors, by the authority. There is no involvement or interference in the non-executive element of the authority in respect of the functions of the chief inspector or the assessments we make in the health care sector under section 8 of the Act. That is all the role of the executive. We bring issues of completion and-or concern to the board but it would only be to say what we find and what we are going to do.