Mr. Jim Breslin:

He did not. He did not seek advice and advice was not offered to him. He made the decision based on advice, including that of the CMO, and then we worked with the HSE to implement it. I note what the former director general has said. Records exist which show that some people who welcomed the decision subsequently asked for the decision to be reviewed. This did subsequently lead to people raising issues about the decision. The decision was made with a review date. Dr. Scally's report, which I believe was due in June, was delivered in September. It made clear that some of the issues which had been raised about the programme and about the laboratories were not properly grounded. In that situation the Minister made the decision to bring an end to the retest programme. He informed the HSE of this decision and the HSE wrote back to him saying that it would bring it to an end but suggesting that it carry out the tests scheduled to December.