Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

As I understand it, Opposition Senators are critical that too many reports were commissioned by the former Minister. It is not so much that he is being found culpable of the engagement of advisers but that he is being found culpable of commissioning reports.

Senator Henry referred to the famous sum of €11 billion, which is to be the expenditure of the Department of Health and Children next year. When that amount of money is being invested it is natural and proper that there should be evaluation, reporting and outside assessment covering different programmes and issues. That constitutes much of the expenditure under the previous Minister in commissioning reports.