Mr. Jim Nugent:

We have no evidence of anything else. I know that when we got to grips with what the arrangement should be with the HSE salary I worked with him in bringing about the contract that would be the correct contract. Subsequently, as Ms McGuinness said, the contract was effective from 1 October. That was the date agreed. Because he had gone on leave, the only way I had of communicating with him, because he was abroad, was periodic phone calls. Certainly up to the last few days before he resigned it was never even hinted that he might think of resigning. I just assumed he was coming back to work. He resigned on the Friday and did not turn up on the Monday. All I got was the message that he felt it was intrusive and he did not particularly wish to go forward.