John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. O'Brien and the other witnesses. I had not intended to raise this but I will. It relates to what Deputy Sean Fleming asked Mr. O'Brien with regard to the conference in Spain. One can ask questions about the guidelines and the policies around them without impugning anybody's integrity. It is fair to ask whether it is wise for the head of the HSE, which has a budget of €13 billion, to have a major supplier to Irish hospitals pay for a trip abroad, regardless of how beneficial Mr. O'Brien might consider that conference to be. I question the wisdom of it. Deputy Perry suggested that by asking these questions one might impugn somebody's integrity, but I do not believe that is true.

When one goes to a doctor's office, the office always has fancy pens. The reason is that drug companies and medical device companies try very hard, from GP level up, to sell their wares. Everybody knows that. There is intense commercial competitiveness in industry in the health services area. Is it wise potentially to compromise oneself with regard to somebody who is a supplier to an Irish hospital when the HSE might pay that supplier down the line? What are the guidelines for Mr. O'Brien and HSE staff with regard to their dealings with private companies and their acceptance of benefits-in-kind from those companies? Mr. O'Brien said he spoke to counsel within the HSE and informed people or asked them regarding the propriety of this and they gave him the all clear. What are the guidelines within the HSE?