Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As a result the officials representing the Department of Health have been put in a difficult position. I do not think this is the way things should be done. I have often sat on that side of the fence, as the officials know. It would have been better if the HSE had been represented here to deal with the questions to it only and the Department of Health to deal with the questions to it only. There are three legs to this issue and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is the paymaster, but it is obvious from what has happened this morning and subsequently that we have to have officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform here within the next few days, if possible, to close off the full conversation on this issue. What has happened this morning is deeply regrettable. The officials had to come and explain their role, but officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, for whatever reason - I am not casting aspirations on anyone - did not come. That is deeply regrettable and unsatisfactory and, for future similar meetings, something we need to consider.