Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, the vast majority of HSE and sections 38 and 39 staff have been paid. I am not satisfied that other arms of the State, including the fire brigade and the Defence Forces, for example, have not been paid. I have communicated in recent days with the Deputy and the HSE regarding this point. When it comes to paying private businesses, I am not satisfied with the pace at which this has happened. However, the HSE is concerned, and it is right to be, that if it makes payments to private businesses and it overpays, representatives of the organisation will be dragged in here and in front of the Committee of Public Accounts and made to account for not having the requisite processes in place. What the HSE is trying to do is the right thing. It is trying to ensure that there is absolute transparency and that the money paid out is the right amount. I agree with the Deputy that the pace at which this has happened has not been fast enough and I am engaged with the HSE to that end.

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