Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I appreciate he is being careful but we have to be very careful about what we say here. There is a significant disciplinary process under way that is a matter of public record, against the person the Deputy has discussed. These are highly legalistic processes, therefore we have to be very careful not to prejudice anything that would come out of that. It would not be wise for me to speak about past performance because one could convey that this is prejudicing disciplinary proceedings. I can say the disciplinary proceedings, which are now against six people in UHL, represent the signal biggest move in terms of accountability in the 20 years the HSE has existed. I am not going to comment on past performance if the Deputy does not mind.

On the second point, there is a redeployment of CHO leadership and hospital group leadership.

As the Deputy is aware, we are taking out several layers of senior management in the HSE, including CHO leadership and hospital group managers, and we have moved to a much flatter and smaller structure comprising the six regional executive officers. As part of that redeployment, not just in the mid-west but across the country, CHO leaders-----

Deputy David Cullinane:My time is up. I just want clarity on one issue and I will-----