Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In regard to free home delivery nationwide, how do people place an order? Is it on the Internet? In regard to free house calls from its mobile pharmacist team, will Mr. O'Sullivan tell us a little bit more about this? He stated in his presentation that using its software systems, its team of pharmacists can conduct consultations in patients' homes with remote access to any clinical information required. I presume that is on the Internet. I presume also that many customers would be elderly and would not have that type of access. I found the savings to be made and the examples given very real and very interesting. If Healthwave can do this, why can others not do the same?

I got an e-mail during this meeting stating that the reason the cost of medicine is so high is because of failed competition law, enforcement regime and competition policy. Does Mr. O'Sullivan have any views on that?

An earlier presentation stated that some medications were said to be in low supply in Ireland. I made the point that other European countries, such as Spain, many medicines are available at a fraction of the cost. I know of a number of people who travel from Cork to Newry monthly or bimonthly to fill prescriptions. I had a case where a man said he filled prescriptions for six members of his family in Newry each month at a fraction of the cost. If other countries can sell at these low prices, why can we not?