Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate where the Deputy is coming from. She has a long-standing tradition in promoting the rights of workers. I respect that. Every members of the board is tasked in legislation with respecting the rights and the needs of the workers and the patients. To abdicate that role to one member of the board can presuppose that the other members of the board do not have a responsibility in this area. There are added complications and challenges such as the many workers in the hospitals who are not members of a union. Are they not represented then? Is this just representing the unionised workers? There are situations where consultants do not regard their membership of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association as being in a trade union. There are different anomalies.

On the broader issue, every member of the board is tasked with representing the best interests. That is their duty, that is in legislation, and that is underpinned in the governance. I would be satisfied that those concerns are taken on board and should be taken on board by all members.