Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The chief medical officer has been tasked with linking with the HSE to develop a working group on the quality and nutritional value of food in hospitals. Much has been done on this in the Cavan-Monaghan region and I would like to see this across the health service. In Britain, the NHS has done much to improve hospital food. Some people attend hospital for short periods and need energy, so I do not think desserts should be banned. The bigger picture is about feeding people appropriately, particularly if they are in hospital for a long period.

The national director will say more about the catheterisation laboratory in Waterford. It is always the case that a costing is done and a business case made - ultimately, all capital investments require taxpayers' money. Failure to carry out a cost-benefit analysis and make a business case would breach the public spending code. This does not mean the matter is in jeopardy.

My understanding is that the medication Daxas was offered free as a trial. After a trial period a company must demonstrate clinical evidence that a medicine is effective and put forward a reasonable price. We cannot always pay the price sought by drug companies, and the company is obliged to show the effectiveness of the drug and the fairness of the price.