Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The reason I ask this is because we were told earlier the escalating costs were first brought to the attention of the board in June 2018. They were not brought to the attention of the Department of Health or the HSE until late August 2018. However, the head of procurement in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was sitting on the board aware of these escalating costs. He is on the board to protect the public interest but there was a two month delay from when the board first became aware of escalating costs to when the information was relayed to the Department of Health. Mr. Quinn is not here to answer but I have a presumption as to why the board made a decision to delay for two months before bringing the information to the knowledge of the Department and the HSE. The conspiracy theorist in me would ask whether it had anything to do with the reappointment of the board in July 2018. It became aware in June of escalating costs but it was not brought to anyone's attention until August and they were all reappointed in July. It is a fair question to ask.