Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There was a settlement for Grace, who was a ward of court. As part of that settlement this figure was put in. The Chairman is interpreting the figure in a way without knowing the facts as to the nature of the case, who took it and what happened. This money was paid. We interpret it as an acknowledgement that it was underfunded all along, and that backs up exactly what the whistleblowers have told us. In addition, we have an up-to-date report from Deloitte, which is questionable in itself because of both sides, and this needs to be teased out. It is a fundamental issue. If an independent report is commissioned and questions are asked as to its independence and what has changed, it is a matter for this committee.

There is no other issue before us except about funding. It seems to me, and this is my view and I am open to changing this view, that the HSE wants it both ways. It wants to acknowledge retrospectively that this money had to be given but that the organisation was never targeted and never underfunded. The HSE quite happily gave over this figure of €600,000. It wants it both ways and it simply cannot have it both ways. I disagree with the Chairman. It is very specific. If the Chairman would like to make it even more specific as we did with the Garda, I have no difficulty with that, but this is an issue that has to be debated before us publicly.