Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegation. I wish to add to the comments of my colleague, Deputy McLellan, on the illegal importation of drugs. That 758,000 dosages were intercepted by customs is alarming because although I realised we had a problem, I did not realise the scale and nature of it. Were the drugs imported for individual use or were they intended to be traded? The IMB stated in the presentation that it does not know the reasons for the importation of the drugs, but what are we doing to counteract it? Many people who go on holidays within Europe will buy the same brand of medicines from a pharmacy at a much cheaper price. The price of medicines in Ireland is an issue for people. I can understand that the message has gone out that this is a way of saving money. I am concerned about people wanting to be anonymous, given the description of some of the drugs, but is that an issue that must be looked at in a wider context?

I note the announcement today by the European Commission that it has adopted the two measures to improve the safety of medical devices. That is welcome. The European Commission added that it now has a clearer basis for unannounced audits, sample testing or joint assessments by notified bodies. Would the IMB comment on whether we should be reassured now the Commission has put this in place or are there questions that we should be putting to the European Union?