David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome that. Lessons are obviously being learned in respect of the national children's hospital and the broadband plan. As we discussed at our last meeting, there was a lot of commentary on the correspondence between Mr. Watt and the Secretary General of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. That is fine. He set out very real concerns regarding that project. In the letter he cited that part of his concerns represented a learning from the national children's hospital. Can we write to Mr. Watt asking if any similar correspondence was had, if any similar concerns were raised, or if any similar exchange of views occurred in respect of the national children's hospital? That is one element of this issue at which we have not looked. I know we had Mr. Watt before the committee. He was reluctant to get into the matter of the national children's hospital - he was here dealing with the broader issue of procurement in respect of all of the big projects - but we now know that he put in writing very serious concerns in respect of the national broadband plan. There may well also have been correspondence on this matter, although it may not have been as stark as that regarding the national broadband plan. I would like to see what engagement there was between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Health in respect of the national children's hospital. I imagine that there was some level of engagement. Is it possible for the committee to seek any such correspondence between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, specifically Mr. Watt, and the Secretary General of the Department of Health in order to see what was being said at that time?