David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a lot of questions. I will probably come in twice. I will not cover them all in the first session.

I will raise one issue before I move on to some more substantial issues relating to the Estimates. We must ensure there is good governance and accountability with respect to the spending of taxpayers' money. We know health research funding was the subject of a report the Minister published this week about a proposed secondment that did not go ahead. That report states that the Minister made a submission, after June 2022, as did the Secretary General of his Department, the Chief Medical Officer and the head of strategic HR in the Department of Health. An email was also sent by the Taoiseach's chief of staff. What was the substance of the Minister's submission?

It is bizarre to say the least and it is unseemly that the Minister's Secretary General, through the Department, states that he told the Taoiseach's chief of staff, Ms Deirdre Gillane, about the secondment and that:

the facts indicate that the Secretary to the Government knew all the critical details regarding the proposed secondment and the proposal to increase funding. And that the Chief of Staff was informed".

He stated, "Based on these facts" - which were not his opinions; he is stating they are facts - "it is not accurate to suggest that Government or key players were not told". He then stated, "I was subsequently instructed to finalise arrangements to give effect to this." We then see in Mr. Fraser's response when he was asked whether he instructed the Secretary General, his first word was "No". Then when he was asked whether he informed the Taoiseach's chief of staff, he says he did not. Both cannot be right. That is a problem. Who is right?