Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

He stepped down because he had done six years. He and a number of other members decided it was time to allow an opportunity for new people to serve on the board. He sent me a note thanking me, wishing the project success and saying that he was delighted to have been involved in progressing such an important project. He has done the State some service, as have all of the other people involved.

I must point out that there are 53 agencies for which I am responsible and which have 612 board members and 19 other aegis bodies, which have 262 board members. There are almost 900 board members that feed into me but I do not issue a press statement every time there is a change to a board.

On the Deputy Micheál Martin letter, in fairness to the Deputy and to the Taoiseach, this latest conspiracy theory was articulated by Deputy Shortall who is no longer in the Chamber for the questions, let alone to hear the answers. Deputy Micheál Martin raised an important matter relating to the children's hospital on the floor of this House, as he is entitled to do. The Taoiseach responded, as he is obligated to, outlining what the Chairman, Mr. Barry said on 12 June regarding residual risk. People accuse me of being asleep at the wheel but unless people were asleep at the committee on 12 June, they would have heard Mr. Barry outline all of the residual risks. There are no new residual risks. Members were all told this but it suits some to keep on returning to the matter and presenting information that has been in the public domain for months as new information. People will see through that.

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