Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)

I thank our witnesses for being here today. We thank them for the good work they do. Unfortunately, in these hearings we often concentrate on areas where mistakes or errors are made or where improvements are needed. That sometimes overshadows the good work done.

I wish to discuss with the NTPF representatives the suggestion that there is a perverse incentive for public work or work that should otherwise be done under public contract to be manipulated or in some way there is a failure to deliver in order for additional income to be received by the hospital or individual consultant through the NTPF. That suggestion has been put out there and in blunt terms, I ask the witnesses to address that issue and what controls might be in place.