Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The committee is in public session. I ask members, witnesses and people in the Gallery to ensure their mobile telephones are switched off for the duration of the meeting as they interfere with the broadcasting equipment and with the staff, even when in silent mode.

This meeting has been convened to discuss the Health Information and Quality Authority's annual overview report on the regulation of designated centres for older people for 2013. I welcome Mr. Phelim Quinn, director of regulation, and Mr. Marty Whelan, head of communications and stakeholder engagement, from the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA. I also acknowledge the presence in the Gallery of Mr. Paul Hickey, also of HIQA. They are all welcome and at the outset I thank Mr. Whelan for his courtesy and co-operation in the organisation of both this meeting and all the joint committee's meetings with HIQA, as well as for his ongoing co-operation with the joint committee.

If I may, at this point I wish to compliment, congratulate and thank Dr. Tracey Cooper, the former chief executive officer of HIQA, for her unfailing courtesy and co-operation with members, as well as the professionalism she showed to the joint committee. She was a pleasure to deal with and a breath of fresh air. She brought tremendous zeal and professionalism to her job and role, as well as to her dealings with the joint committee. Perhaps the witnesses could convey to Dr. Cooper our thanks and best wishes for her new career and future and that we wish her well.