Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I have established that is the reason and I thank the Chairman. I congratulate, if that is the right term, Mr. O'Brien and Dr. McLoughlin on their appointments and wish them well in their roles. Of all the Committee of Public Accounts meetings, the meetings we have had with representatives of the HSE have been most engaging. We have previously engaged with Mr. Crowley, Mr. Woods and Ms McGuinness. While the meeting got off to a rocky start on both sides, I believe we need to - I do not think there is a parliamentary word for it - "chillax". Everyone needs to take a step back here. If the witnesses want to come in here and stonewall, that will not work. If people here want to grandstand, that is not serving the interests of the taxpayer either. A number of issues, which predate Mr. O'Brien's and Dr. McLoughlin's appointments, have come up in our many meetings with Mr. O'Brien's predecessor, Mr. Cathal Magee. We have either not received satisfactory answers or we need an update.

While I do not tend to go near the area of policy, any member of the public, sitting at home watching these proceedings tonight after a day's work and worrying how to pay the next bill, simply wants to know why the HSE budget cannot be managed. I ask for some insight into the financial systems that are in place. At what stage is the HSE in tackling the legacy issues? It would be very helpful to begin with that. What is the most recent figure available for the HSE budget overrun?