HSE 'in dispute over 100 faulty ventilators' - TD

The HSE has confirmed to Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD that they are involved in a legal dispute with Chinese companies over 100 faulty or ‘unsuitable’ ventilators which they purchased from China - but they’ve declined to indicate the costs involved.

Speaking today in reaction to the information released to him, Deputy Tóibín TD said: "The fact that the HSE purchased 100 ventilators, seemingly from China, which have been deemed "unsuitable" is worrying.

The government need to implement better scrutiny of products they are purchasing with public money, especially from China.

"While this purchase was at the start of a crisis it sill points to a weakness in the procurement process”.

“We need to learn from what happened here and ensure that we have access to more reliable supply chains in future.

"We also need to start reducing our dependence on China for these products.

"China is responsible for the widespread abuse of Human Rights, in particular when it comes to the treatment of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang. Even as a small country we have a responsibility to put pressure through trade on China to end the damage they are doing to human rights.

“The HSE now need to come clean with the costs occurred to date in their legal dispute with the companies in question, and indeed they should also come public with the initial costs of the faulty equipment," he added.