Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 6 Mar 2003

Vol. 562 No. 6

Written Answers - Irish Blood Transfusion Service.

Joe Costello

Ceist:

80 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has discussed with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service the recent report from the Comptroller and Auditor General that was extremely critical of aspects of financial management of the service; the steps being taken to deal with the shortcomings identified in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6637/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The special report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on financial control and management in the IBTS was laid before the House on Tuesday, 18 February 2003. The report relates to financial control and management in the IBTS in 2000.

According to the report, financial control problems encountered by the IBTS in 2000 mainly related to first, severe cash-flow problems due to legal costs arising from the Lindsay Tribunal, which will only be recouped following examination of costs by the taxing master this year and, second, overruns on a major IT development project, The progress project. The new IT system will come fully into operation this month; the system has been in pilot phase nationally for a number of months. The increase in cost was due, in part, to the necessity to engage additional contractors to ensure compliance with best practice, validation of the existing system and ensuring year 2000 compliance. Third, sales invoices for the first quarter of 2000 were not issued until April of that year, thus delaying the receipt of income. This backlog was due to delays in the integration of the existing blood banking control system with a new financial accounting system. This integration was completed in April 2000.

I understand that the report will be the subject of a hearing of the Committee of Public Accounts on 3 April next and that management representatives of the IBTS will be in attendance. In the circumstances, I do not think that it would be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage.