Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy O'Connell 110% on the issue of contraception. I expect to receive the report of the working group in the next few days which I will publish or make available to Members of the Oireachtas quickly. I want to work on the issue in a collaborative way. The Deputy is right. As I said to Deputy O'Reilly, a significant financial commitment will be required, but there is more to it than that because we will also have to change legislation, set up systems and so on. There will be a lead-in time, but I am 100% committed to making contraception free. I have committed to doing so without receiving the report, as it will simply guide us on how best to go about it. I expect to be in a position to have discussions in the coming days with Deputies O'Connell and O'Reilly and others who are interested in the issue.

I commend the leadership of the CEO of the HSE on getting on with dealing with the matter of biosimilar products. We are already beginning to see the benefits. We need to build on the scheme in order that it can grow and become a normal part of budgeting and the financial flow in the health service.

For our part, on the Deputy's question, we will be publishing our national biosimilars policy by the end of this year.