John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

For a number of years I have had a very open mind on this and I approached the committee meeting this morning in the same vein. It is one of the most comprehensive presentations I have had the pleasure of listening to. Almost all of the questions one could ask have been answered. We have had the background to this, the international comparisons, the number of products, how the product is regulated, dealing with the companies, the review that took place, the consciousness that the review took place some time ago and there is now a further parallel review, and international best practice.

The reason I say all of this is that the previous speaker sounded a little bit disappointed that there are not more products on the shelves whereas the witnesses have made it very clear that the approach to this is very scientifically grounded. I always fear that people like to polarise this debate and that if people are not in favour of this they are somehow conservative and backwoods people who do not appreciate or realise the impact they are having on the quality of life of people. This is notwithstanding the very passionate pleas made through the years and the efficacy of some of the products. People on the other side of the argument are then portrayed as somehow progressive and enlightened and as wanting to enable people to break free from the shackles of terribly tedious illnesses. I am in the middle. The witnesses have answered many of the questions I had.

I have a couple of short questions.

Denmark has four products. We are not so much taking our leave from it as casting an eye to the Danish model. It has just four products. Is it consultants who prescribe in Denmark, and how long have they been in a position to do so? I want short answers to these first few questions, please.