Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State telling me that there is a great working relationship does not really wash and that is nothing personal. One should look at the commentary we have seen in the newspaper recently about the carry-on among the officials in the Department of Health and their dissatisfaction with the HSE and all of that. It seems to imply that any unfinished business will be deemed to have been done and completed. My interpretation of it is that this has been deep dipped and done. There is a vast amount of unfinished business in the Department of Health. Let us take for example the Brandon report, which originated in the Department of Health. It has a long way to go, as the Minister of State has stated. Who will be held responsible if issues arise about failures on the part of senior officials in the Department of Health or, indeed, the Minister? How will these issues be dealt with? It is that legacy stuff that I am concerned about. I want an adequate way to bring either the Minister or officials to account and I do not follow the purpose of this section.