Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy's first question was on the extent of the procurement and whether more substandard equipment was delivered to the HSE. As she can imagine, I would expect there was more. I do not have the full report from the HSE. It has sent us initial reports at this stage stating how much of its procurement was done in an emergency fashion. The Comptroller and Auditor General will also be investigating the matter. In this regard, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, wrote to the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to advise him that the emergency phase had now passed and that we now needed to return to normal procurement rules and monitor everything. We must ask what we learn from this and what the outcome or consequence is. It is for the interim procurement reform board and the Government as a whole to assess what happened in the Department of Health, the circumstances, the extent and the changes that need to be made to address the issue.

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