Mr. Paul Reid:

I have had direct engagement with the IHCA on a number of occasions. I met Mr. Martin Varley four months ago, before I took up this role, and I have had a number of meetings with him since. The HSE has directly engaged with the IHCA on a range of issues. I and the chief clinical officer, Dr. Colm Henry, have had meetings with clinicians and clinical directors. There is a lot of direct engagement with consultants.

Specifically with regard to the IHCA, reinforced from my days at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is that we must respect the industrial relations process, which has a channel to work through in the first instance. I can only expect that the IHCA will be involved in the process at some stage but we must respect the process as it leads out. In my direct discussions with the IHCA and at its conference I said very clearly it must be part of the solution. It relentlessly challenges us on a range of issues, very understandably. Some of the issues are service related but the IHCA has also challenged us on our capital plan, Sláintecare and the de Buitléir report. It must be part of the solution as well as identifying some of the major issues. I said this very clearly at the IHCA's conference and to people directly. There has been direct engagement with the IHCA and I expect it will be part of the process at some stage, but we must respect the industrial relations process.