Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I wish to ask about the public procurement of products and services for the Irish Blood Transfusion Service, IBTS. I have already submitted details to the Department of Health. We know that, under statute, the Irish Blood Transfusion Service is fully accountable to the Minister for Health. The principal activity of the IBTS is to provide blood and blood products for humans. The IBTS is also responsible for the collection of blood platelets and for managing the unrelated bone marrow registry in Ireland.

My concerns relate to public procurement. It has been brought to my attention that there are issues in this regard. When a body raises concerns, one must differentiate a failure to secure a procurement contract through a public procurement process from more substantive concerns. I am not here to make that judgment call. I wish to express concerns raised by parties who have been in touch with me and to seek reassurance that the procurement process is being followed to the letter of the law. We all know that the key thing underpinning confidence in any public procurement process is transparency. I wish to see reassurances from the Minister on five or six key matters. Does the organisation maintain a tender list? We need to see a schedule of advertising of products and services. There is a subtle difference between the product - blood transfusions - and the services that the board contracts in. Are there records of tendering timescales, receipts of opening of tenders, records of all tender evaluations, and retention of these records historically - or certainly for a period of five or six years - for potential audit? The concerns I heard were about a number of issues relating to products and services provided by the IBTS. I request that the Minister - not necessarily today, but in the future - discuss these issues with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and seek assurances that the public procurement process is being followed to the letter of the law in respect of the various thresholds that apply for public procurement.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank Senator Victor Boyhan for raising this important issue. Before I respond to him, I pay tribute to all who donate blood to the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. This fantastic service saves many lives. We all know of friends and family members who have benefited from it. I am taking this commencement debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, so I will raise the points made by the Senator when I speak to him.

I thank the Senator for raising this issue and for giving me the opportunity to address the House. The remit of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service is to provide a safe, reliable and robust blood service to the Irish health system. Blood and the products derived from it are an integral part of our health care delivery. A major objective of the IBTS is to enure that it always has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both the donors and the recipients of blood and blood products. The Department of Finance published a revised code of practice for the governance of State bodies in May 2009. The code defines corporate governance as comprising the systems and procedures by which enterprises are directed and managed. State bodies must serve the interests of the taxpayer, pursue for value for money in their endeavours and act transparently as public entities.The boards and the management of State bodies must accept accountability for the proper management of the organisations involved. State bodies and their subsidiaries are required to confirm to the relevant Minister that they comply with the up-to-date requirements of the code in their governance practices and procedures.

In regard to the procurement issue, the IBTS has confirmed in writing in respect of 2015 that requirements for public procurement are understood and adhered to; appropriate attention is given to, and adequate procedures are in place for ensuring compliance with procurement policy and guidelines; EU directives and national regulations on procurement are being complied with; and a corporate procurement plan is in place in accordance with the national public procurement framework. This procurement plan reinforces the IBTS's commitment to effective and efficient resource allocation and service provision to all its customers.

A copy of the annual accounts of the IBTS and the auditor's certificate and report thereon must also be presented to the Minister. The IBTS financial statements are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, and the 2014 statements were laid on 5 October 2015. The 2015 statements will be laid very very shortly. Every effort will continue to be made to ensure robust governance is in place in the IBTS, including in regard to procurement.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for a very comprehensive report. I was reading it line by line as the Minister of State delivered it. I note that in the last paragraph he raised the issue of the 2015 auditor's report and accounts and added that it will be laid before the House very very shortly - I note the Minister of State added the words "very very" to his script. I welcome that. I suggest we look at them. The period I am referring to is in 2015. The sooner we could have the 2015 statements before the House, the better.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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The Senator is right to seek reassurance on issues relating to the procurement process. He raised the matters of the tender lists, the record of tenders, the retention of records and the relationship to 2015. I will go back to the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, for an update on the situation and act immediately on it.