Mr. Stephen Mulvany:

When we talk about the what, that is something that changes. The objectives of the health service - the specific outputs and outcomes - change on the annual and multi-annual planning cycle. That will always be a collaborative effort. It always has to be decided centrally at some point. Delivery and how the resources are rearranged to make things happen are then entirely for the RHAs, and the level below that. I stress that point. The RHAs have to be involved in the collaboration, both about the rule set they are operating to and those targets, and then let off to do delivery.