Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 June 2020
312. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if a joint order of PPE from China was agreed with the Northern Ireland Executive in view of a statement by the Minister for Finance in Northern Ireland on 27 March 2020; and if so, the details of the order and agreement. [10142/20]
View answer313. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the discussions the Chief Procurement Officer and the Office of Government Procurement had with departments of the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the potential order and purchase of PPE in March and April 2020; if the statement by the Minister for Finance in Northern Ireland on 27 March 2020 that a joint order for PPE from China had been agreed with the Government actually was in place; and if so, the details of same. [10155/20]
View answer400. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if joint orders for PPE have been made with the Northern Ireland Executive since the Covid-19 crisis commenced; if so, when they were agreed; the persons with whom they were agreed; and the cost of same. [10146/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 312, 313 and 400 together.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP), has a longstanding working relationship with the Construction and Procurement Delivery (CPD) office of the Northern Ireland Department of Finance. Significant engagement had taken place between the OGP and CPD as part of the response to Covid-19, including exploring the option of a joint procurement to meet PPE needs. This joint option was progressed but was not ultimately concluded and both jurisdictions made their own arrangements for PPE supplies. There is ongoing dialogue between the OGP and CPD on Covid-19. A Memorandum of Understanding was formally agreed on 7 April between the Departments of Health in Ireland and Northern Ireland to underpin and strengthen North South co-operation on the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on facilitating greater co-operation on areas such as public health messaging, research, programmes of behavioural change, ethics, evidence base/ modelling and public health and non-pharmaceutical measures. Other areas will be considered, such as procurement, where this is of mutual benefit.
