David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We accept all of that. I will get to what St. Vincent's Healthcare Group may want later. I am just establishing facts here. The Minister came into office and made it clearly known to St. Vincent's Healthcare Group that it was his preference for the land to be transferred into public ownership. That was his preference and he has just explained the reason. However, over recent days, particularly in the meeting of the Joint Committee on Health yesterday, the Minister and many others were telling me and others who have concerns about the ownership that it does not matter. They were asking us why we were raising these issues, what our concerns were and telling us it was dealt with. Despite this, the Minister is also telling us he went into the process and asked the question that should be obvious to everyone in the House should be asked, which is why the site is not brought into public ownership. That is also what I would have done. My point is the Minister cannot have it both ways. He cannot say this was his stated objective and what he sees as the best outcome but that we have not got the best outcome.

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