Mr. Bernard Gloster:

Yes, there have been shortfalls and supplementaries of varying types to varying degrees for many years in the health service. That is true and I think everybody knows that. Unfortunately, from the perspective of this year and coming into this job, the narrative that the health service cannot manage its resources - that it is a waste, out of control and so on - has certainly increased this year. The narrative has increased, whatever about the deficit.

The one thing I would say to the Deputy, and I would say it without fear of contradiction, is that the public purse is an extremely important thing. If anyone believes that a senior public servant like me would stand over a gaming position just to get more money for the sake of it, or that I would wind up a deficit to try to get attention and more money, I would reject that out of hand completely. The Government, to be fair, makes a decision on investing in public services. My job is to give effect to the policy of the Government of the day, and I do that to the best of my ability. What I have said to everybody is that I will control the budget for the part that is in my control. I am probably the only public servant I know who has hired more people than I am funded to do, and when I pause recruitment I get criticised for it. If I do not pause it, I get criticised for it. Certainly, I can tell the Deputy that any articulation of the deficit by me or by the board of the HSE is not about gaming for money.