Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is generally an Irish arm of many multinational medication and drug manufacturers but MSD and Pfizer are based in the UK and we bring products here from these sources. Has the Department done any work on the implications for these products, particularly in the area of timelines? We now have same-day, or 24-hour, deliveries of drugs from the UK. Will there be increase in these timelines and what might the knock-on effect be for patient care? Time is money and, as is the case with hauliers, if things are delayed and turnaround times are increased there will be cost implications. These are hard to quantify and we do not know how long the delays will be but has any work been done to establish the effects and mitigate them?

Mr. Goodman spoke about the EMA in the context of the regulation of medications and appliances. If there is a hard Border, the UK will not be able to avail of mutual recognition and centralised procedures for medications. Is there any indication of what the UK plan is in this regard? It is a bit like a farmer's market, where everybody inside signs up to the charter of the market while there is a lad with a stall outside trying to sell carrots to the people in the market and he is not abiding by the rules of the market. Has the UK given any indication of the direction it wishes to take in this area? It is better to have a copy of the rules and be inside the market. Norway and Iceland have asked to be included in the current procedure but has the UK given any hint of what it will do?

Deputy Kelleher asked about regulation. I am a UK graduate and 25% of my pharmacy class in 1999 were Irish. We had a great time but this is a huge concern for me. Mr. Goodman said this was not specific to Ireland.