Mr. Shaun Flanagan:

At the end of the day, and I do not mean this to be in any way offensive, processes are more efficient when they are continuous and are flowing seamlessly. Having certainty around funding at the end of the process makes it easier to get things over the line. It reduces logjams. The past couple of years, in particular, have been very helpful in that way. As I said, we had 52 medicines in 2021 and we are at approximately 26. That is, in effect, almost one a week being approved. The way the system works they are approved in pulses but it helps when there is certainty around funding. It particularly helps the decision makers. Mr. Woods is closer to the decision-making then I am. I have worked on the negotiation and on the drugs group, which has the luxury of making recommendations but does not have to make the actual final decisions. It is people on the HSE's executive management team nearer to the board that have to make the difficult decisions.