Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and understand his frustration, which we all feel, but let it be said it goes on in the other House also. He cannot have spent very much time preparing this answer. I know that he is busy and effective, but this is simply a stonewalling exercise, if not by him, by the officials. He assumes we understand why it is inappropriate for him to comment further, but I do not understand it at all. We have just watched a documentary on RTE that is forcing the carrying out of an investigation. I am only asking the Minister to put the facts in the public domain, which would not in any way prejudice an objective inquiry by the HSE. This is not transparent administration and I am asking legitimate questions. At the very least, I would have expected the Minister to say that, while the investigation was ongoing and until it was established that nothing inappropriate had been done by the CEO in any aspect of the tendering procedure, he would not proceed to the next post and that it would have to be suspended until such time as there was clarity. Otherwise, if there was inappropriate tendering, Mr. Maher would have to be watched like a hawk in his next job.