Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I accept the Minister's point but the HSE contradicts that. It clearly states that there is a narrative, the Minister's narrative to which he is entitled, that it was going to happen anyway so it was made free. There are two conflicting narratives. One came directly from the HSE to this committee to state that that is not true. It directly attributes two thirds of the backlog to the Minister's offer. It does not state that it was going to happen anyway. No one was disagreeing with it being made free where appropriate. The significant error appears to have been in this open offer. The Department quickly added a caveat and stated that it was in consultation with GPs. The Minister did not.