Mr. Shaun Flanagan:

I can try to answer that. The HSE looks at the reimbursed market; I am guessing the IPHA looks at the entire market. The HSE does not pay for every medicine in the State. I am assuming the IPHA estimates take account of the fact that their companies are taking a hit of that amount in the private market. That may contribute to some of the difference. There are two savings that are arrived at independently. IPHA did its bit and the HSE did its bit. Clearly, the HSE would always have to be conservative and absolutely certain that it will deliver what it says it delivers because it has implications for health pricing. It might very well be in another party's interest to be conservative the other way. Both parties will always be conservative within their own constraints and decision-making. There is a public market and there is a private prescription market as well and IPHA companies will take a hit there from price reductions. There is no doubt about that.