Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Tánaiste seems to be setting all standards by reference to the United States, including the privatisation of hospitals. The then Minister, Deputy Martin, in his speech on this matter said, "Crucially, it will enable the health services to deliver a consistent message to the public and to its employees". It has gone with the wind.

Is the Tánaiste not concerned over the manner by which this is being advertised? It has been expressed to me by a number of concerned people in the information technology sector that the time allowed for this tender leads to the assumption that this is written for a particular supplier. Will the Tánaiste investigate that?

Will she also familiarise herself with the Butler report, which looked at the health Ireland portal in February and produced a damning critique of it? The report noted that the portal did not have any business sponsor and its writers believed that high level ownership was essential if the project was to continue. The strongest recommendation made was that a sponsor should have been sought at the earliest opportunity. That kind of language is familiar in terms of the reports we have had of PPARS last week.

The Tánaiste made some changes at the Cabinet this morning. Who has political responsibility for this project? Who is in charge and can we take it that she will investigate the short tender time involved and at least clarify that this project is not written with any individual or specific supplier in mind?

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