Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome all of the participants, in particular, Mr. Kennelly and Mr. O’Brien, whom I know personally, together with Mr. Hourigan, who is sitting behind me.

When I heard recently about this, it raised questions in my own mind. Deputy Farrell has asked some of the questions I would like to have asked. In respect of the Secretary General, has he ever communicated with our witnesses? Has he ever come back with a response?

Regarding Mr. Hourigan’s letter on 22 September under the Freedom of Information Act, the witnesses have had the right to appeal it. Was this request ever appealed?

I believe our witnesses have answered most of what I wanted to ask, in that the Department of Health is saying that it cannot pay this money without the HSE approving it. Knowing the different backgrounds from which all of our witnesses have come from and that their roles were at a certain level within the HSE, is it mainly the people across that level who have not received this money and that people below or above their level have received this money? Is that correct?