Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which Irish providers can supply goods and services to the Health Service Executive in respect of special footwear, clothing or other appliances which are sometimes provided by brokers in such a way as to disadvantage opportunities for the indigenous supplier by the provision of assorted packages, the combination of which may be lower priced and within which individual items are more costly than those available to indigenous suppliers; if in terms of procurement in the future, provision can be made whereby the use of loss leaders is prevented in procurement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55042/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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In the Health Service Executive (HSE), the overall strategic goals of procurement is to maximise the effectiveness of procurement in providing support for effective and efficient patient care. The HSE's procurement policy clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of all practitioners involved in the procurement process. It is based on best practice and is designed to ensure a common approach for all HSE staff in the procurement of supplies, works and services. It also ensures a strong focus on the role of procurement in keeping with the code of practice for governance of state bodies. As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.