Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 17 May 2018

Public Accounts Committee

Implications of CervicalCheck Revelations (Resumed)
2016 Financial Statements of the State Claims Agency (Resumed)
2016 Financial Statements of the HSE (Resumed)

9:00 am

Photo of Jonathan O'BrienJonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I will come back on the figure of 20% of women. I want to ask Mr. Gleeson several questions in the second round.

Let us go back to the communications strategy. There is a reference in the March document to the communications strategy being developed between CervicalCheck and the media within the HSE. I will have to double-check the details because it could be the October document, but one of the questions we asked about was the nature of the public relations interaction between the HSE and the Department of Health. Our question on that point was answered for today. That was on the back of the reference in the memorandum to the communications department within the HSE being involved in the drafting of the media strategy. The answer we have received today is that the HSE has a national director of communications – the relevant official is before the committee today. The answer stated that the relevant person in 2016 was Mr. Paul Connors and that Mr. Connors was not involved in discussions on media as per the comment in the memorandums received. Furthermore, the response stated that he had no knowledge of the matter until 12.50 p.m. on Wednesday, 25 April this year. Perhaps Mr. Connors can answer this question about the communications division of the HSE. Who was involved in 2016 in drafting or in discussions around the communications strategy that might be needed if there was an adverse fall-out from this? Why was Mr. Connors not aware of it?