Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Cullen for attending the committee and for his presentation. I want to ask about the overall cost of running a private medical facility, and the cost increases that have occurred in recent years. I presume that previously external auditors were brought in to review the costs and what patients had to be charged. Can Mr. Cullen give an idea of the total cost of medical supplies each year, including those for individual patients' use? If these events resulted in a difference of 5%, what kind of difference is Mr. Cullen talking about in real terms? He said that his group started out in 2006. I presume he has worked out the annual cost per patient, so has there been a substantial rise in the cost of such items over the past ten years in real terms? For instance, we have seen the cost of pharmaceuticals go up quite substantially between 2000 and 2010, but have we seen the same increases occur for surgical gloves or other items that are used daily by hospital doctors and nurses? I wonder if Mr. Cullen can give us some kind of guideline on that issue.