Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The Oireachtas votes the total sum for the HSE and the Department and switching money from one subhead to another does not require the approval of the Oireachtas. When the HSE informed us on 22 December, the Secretary General of the Department informed me. I remember him telling me the position on the day, and again on 17 January.

I am not being told I should have made a statement on 22 December to the effect that the situation is so one day and otherwise the next. The reason the Minister correctly brought it to the attention of the House was because of the implications for what he had done in the appropriation accounts, but even he made it clear yesterday that it may be the position. Equally, it may not be the position when we see the final accounts. That is a fact.

It is important to stress here that there is no question of any impropriety, mismanagement or misappropriations of money from the capital to the current account. That did not happen.

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