Dr. Diarmuid O'Shea:

We might come back to the private-public question because the answer will not be short, although it is a very important question. Before I pass to Professor McDonald, I want to address Deputy O'Connell's question in regard to polypharmacy and medication from pharmacists on these programmes. There is a pharmacist representative on the clinical programme for older people working group, which is very important from the point of view of all of the programmes. Polypharmacy, medication realisation and de-prescribing as much as prescribing are hugely important parts of this. What the Deputy's question speaks to is the critical importance of getting the constitution of the different clinical advisory and working advisory groups correct. It is about all the breadth of health care professionals working together.

On the question on obesity, diabetes and dementia, a new lead has recently been appointed for the national dementia strategy, Dr. Suzanne Timmons, and there is a specific diabetes lead and a clinical lead for the obesity programme. It might be appropriate for them to attend the committee at some stage to answer questions around those programmes. Professor McDonald had a specific comment to make on diabetes and heart failure.