Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Fianna Fáil will be supporting this Bill which is technical in nature and makes some improvements by giving all the responsibility for the procurement of clotting factor products to St. James's Hospital. It is a good opportunity to remember the system's failings for people with blood disorders in the past. When we consider legislation such as this it is a reminder of the many people and families affected by past procurement system failures.

Will there be any resource implications at St. James's Hospital as a result of this transfer of function? I have been told the chief executive officers of all the Dublin hospitals met recently over a collective €110 million shortfall in their budgets. Will the Minister of State refer to this point? If the amount in Dublin is €110 million, what will be the total figure for the country? Will this issue lead to additional budgetary demands on the Department of Health and, in particular, the HSE?

It is good that full responsibility will clearly lie with St. James's Hospital. I also welcome the requirement that the monitoring committee, which was established on an ad hoc basis in 2001 and to which the Minister of State referred, be consulted. My next question was raised in the Lower House, but does any measure in the legislation oblige St. James's Hospital to act on or accept the advice or does it have plenipotentiary independence to refuse the committee's advice?

I do not want to delay the House. I thank the Minister of State for her attendance and we welcome the Bill.