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

I thank Deputy Kelleher for bringing this Bill forward. I am all for it. This will lead to greater confidence in optimum treatment being given to patients. It is also important from a taxpayer point of view, because of the huge drug bill we have, to make sure that people are getting the best value for their money. I have one issue about the medical equipment supplier and diabetic testing kits. These are regularly given out free to clinics by companies, not necessarily to an individual practitioner but to a diabetic clinic or a GP surgery. The unit is given free but the cost is in the consumable, in the diabetic strips. I have long felt the price of them is a bit of a racket. Does this cover that? If a company decides to supply the eastern or northern region with a particular brand of testing kit, is this going to deal with that issue? I have just come up with that and I understand if the Deputy does not have an answer for me right now.