Health Procurement: Motion
Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-29
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Seán Kyne (FG), Cultural and Educational Panel

I thank the Minister for coming to the House to debate this matter, which is quite specific. We are a very advanced country. We pride ourselves on the capabilities we have, our positive results in relation to health, our medtech sector and foreign direct investment in medtech, and the growth of artificial intelligence and what that can do in healthcare. There is so much positivity about our healthcare. Genomics is essential to the future of healthcare, including diagnostics, personalised medicine and population health management, yet the failing we have, or certainly the concern that has been raised with me and others, relates to the fact we have to send so much of our testing abroad. One could ask why more of that is not done within the country and whether that can be changed. There are private companies, I am sure, across the country that would be in a position to provide speedier results and with which the data might be better protected rather than our having to rely on laboratories overseas in countries such as the UK, the United States, Germany, Spain and Finland, to which approximately 20,000 genetic tests are sent every year. This reliance on overseas laboratories results in associated cost inefficiencies, extended turnaround times and fragmented funding and delivery models, and some of these oversea laboratories are not EU-accredited. I find that strange and it is difficult to understand how they are, therefore, part of the system. It makes perfect sense that the highly sensitive data these labs are dealing with would be better protected within this country rather than having us rely on overseas laboratories.
I am asking and urging the Government to co-ordinate a national plan to increase the level of in-country genomics testing to include accredited commercial laboratories in future procurement processes in line with public procurement directives to ensure open, competitive and cost-effective delivery and to review the cost and delivery models for genomic laboratory testing to improve patient outcomes, maximise value for money, reduce reliance on overseas providers and support the development of a domestic public and commercial infrastructure and workforce to provide sustainable, high-quality genomics testing for Ireland.
It is quite a simple proposal and would make sense, especially with respect to the data protection and turnaround times. We have some fine private and public companies that are able and accredited to do this work but, unfortunately, with procurement as it stands, they are not in a position to bid. I am asking that this be examined and that the Minister look at the possibilities and the benefits for turnaround times, cost-effectiveness and data protection from using more of our own companies.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-01-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:34+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-29