David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses, especially Mr. Reid; this is his first appearance before us in his new role. I have listened to what Mr. Reid has said over the past hour in responding to questions from members. To paraphrase what he said about spending, whether current or capital, the HSE gets a pot of money and that money then has to be managed. He and I might have a view on the size of the pot, but the pot is the pot and it needs to be managed. We called for taxpayers' money to be managed and so I have no difficulty with that.

The problem is this. A letter was sent by Mr. Reid to each hospital manager and each hospital group outlining concerns about historic overspend and the new hands-on approach he would take to make sure that each hospital comes in on budget. He asked them to identify whether there was potential for overspend and, if there was, to put in place "cost-containment plans"; those are not his words, but the words of hospital managers in their responses. Those plans will then be overseen by hospital groups. If hospital managers do not come in on budget, they will be held responsible. That is my understanding of the letter and of what Mr. Reid said earlier. Is that a fair assessment of the position?