Mr. Brian McEnery:

First, I can tell Deputy Aylward that I am happy to be here. In addition, I am happy to get the opportunity to explain the context of what I believe I have explained many times, which is that I have a role as financial adviser in all aspects of the health care sector but particularly in respect of nursing homes. I am also happy to say that there is no link between HIQA and the financial aspects of the matter and there is no link then between my professional capacity and, for example, interacting with the NTPF and HIQA. That is the most emphatic thing that I want to say here today, which is that they are not related because HIQA does not have a role in financial affairs and I would not have any ability or capacity to influence an aspect of the regulation on behalf of any nursing home. That is why I included in my statement that where I was forcibly asked to intervene on behalf of a nursing home I refused because that is exactly the role I do not have, namely, to interfere with the work of the chief executive.