Mr. John Hennessy:

We had some extensive discussions on the matter earlier this year with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, a sister committee to this committee. Representatives of the pharmaceutical sector were before that committee and complained bitterly at the time at the reductions the sector has experienced. For me, that is a sign of success on our side, in one respect. We are operating within the average basket in respect of our counterparts in the EU at the moment. Under the next agreement we will examine the matter again to see what further reductions can be achieved.