David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Of course the Chairman is entitled to be clear, and he is very clear, but he is conflating two issues, with respect, if I can just respond. Of course there was a High Court case, and it was in respect of whether moneys were due to the organisation. The High Court outcome was that there was money due and it was paid. That is not what is in question. The question is whether the group itself was targeted in terms of its funding, and whether a statement made by Mr. Healy to the previous incarnation of the Committee of Public Accounts was accurate.

This is not about us trying to interfere with the commission of investigation or anything like it. It is about how the HSE interacts with the Committee of Public Accounts. It is about the information it gives us and whether we have the right then to interrogate it and examine it. We also have a duty to examine the Deloitte report. I have very real concerns about whether it really is independent. It is being presented to us as independent analysis. I will give just one example of what it says, because there is a lot of spin going on here as well. The HSE states, and this is from Tony O'Brien in his letter in response, "Consequently, the Service Provider was not treated either unfairly or disproportionately when compared to other similarly funded organisations."

The report actually states at paragraph 6.13 that HSE south east advised Deloitte that in its view, based on the comparative analysis, the cuts visited on the service provider were in line with cuts nationally and locally. The report just gives us the HSE's views. That is not independent or an analysis. A whole section in the report gives the HSE view and states Deloitte does not offer any opinion. Where is the view of the service provider? I am not comfortable at all with this report.