John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Will the committee take my appreciation for the two organisations as read? I have expressed it before so will not take up time. It is not meant to be rude but I want to get into the questions.

My first question is on the Sláintecare implementation board. Mr. Watt can take it first and then Mr. Reid. Cynics could be forgiven for thinking an independent oversight board has been replaced with the chief executive of one organisation and the Secretary General of the Department that would have been subject to the scrutiny of that board. The witnesses have replaced the board with themselves, essentially. We know the way structures work. Mr. Watt and Mr. Reid are the bosses of their organisations, though I know they have the heads of this, that and the other on the board.

I am giving Mr. Watt an opportunity to assuage the justifiable cynicism that they have taken control of this. Mr. Watt referred to this committee. We get just ten minutes each, which is not much time to delve into matters. I will put my hands up and say that I completely lack the professional expertise to delve into this. Who are the oversight critics who provide the critique that the public needs to know that this is working properly?