James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

Why did the Minister not instruct the HSE to invest in the labs? When I met the NCSS yesterday, it made clear that its role was procurement and that laboratories were none of its business. That points the finger firmly at the Minister. It is objectionable that the NCSS would issue a statement impugning my consideration of women and delay this project, for which I have called for nine years. Having waited that length of time and having lost many lives as a consequence of the delays of the Government that has been in power all that time, the Minister will now rush in at the end and will, as many Members pointed out, cause the fragmentation of our public health service. I can only surmise this is a further part of the agenda to undermine the public health service, in addition to privatisation drives, co-located hospitals and other initiatives.

Why did the Minister not allow investment in the labs to proceed? Will the Minister confirm that Altnagelvin Hospital, which operates under the Western Health and Social Care Trust of Northern Ireland and covered the north west, is deeply unhappy with the way the tender was carried out and is threatening legal action?

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