Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 18 January 2017

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare

Health Service Reform: Private Hospitals Association

9:00 am

Mr. Brian Fitzgerald:

It is hard to give percentages, but I say honestly to the committee that I have committed my life to working in the public system. I love it and the people with whom I work who, I can testify absolutely, are fantastic people. I have got to a stage in my career, however, where I could not comment credibly on health issues without spending some time in the private system. The people with whom I work and I can certainly make decisions much more quickly in this working environment. The plans we have put together for running the hospital are very robust and detailed and, honestly, I find a different level of scrutiny at governance level.