Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply but we know that there is a new contract. The problem is that one long-term contract was being issued. Let us be clear that there has been a very good service for many years. We, as public representatives, did not hear anything to the contrary. In recent months, however, most Deputies have been getting phone calls on this issue. Will the Minister of State confirm that HSE personnel have been put in place in recent days to monitor the situation? Will he also confirm that the previous contract, under which one company was paid, has been split and that the company manufacturing the product must be paid directly? In addition, will he confirm that this matter will be resolved for those vulnerable people in the very near future? Will there be a long-term contract or what is going to happen? This short-term contract does not seem to be resolving matters. Is the Minister of State concerned that if a contract is changed twice, even a short-term one, there may be difficulties down the road?

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