Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Yes. I welcome the witnesses to the Committee of Public Accounts. I have a number of questions. One of the issues I am concerned about is the cost of drugs. We seem to be the most expensive country in the world in terms of drugs purchase. The drugs bill for the Health Service Executive, HSE, is approximately €2 billion. Have we any clear indication as to the reason we have not been able to manage better with generic drugs or be in a better position to put together some block purchasing? The drugs bill is astronomical, and that is extended to the consumer in terms of the cost of drugs and to the Exchequer, etc., in every format. Could we get some answers on that issue?