Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I have a couple of questions. Regarding medicines and dual registration products, there is an arrangement between some English-speaking countries to have shared patient information leaflets and packaging on some medicines. The UK tends to be the biggest buyer in these markets. It tends to be the UK, Malta and Ireland that share licences on products such as Ventolin inhalers. I am concerned about this. Has the Department considered there would be a potential massive price increase if the arrangement ceased?

My next question is on population health and immunisation. On the previous occasion the Department appeared before the committee we spoke about viruses and bacteria not recognising borders. From a human health point of view, there is not much point in us having a very comprehensive vaccination programme for MMR and the roll-out of HPV vaccine on the island of Ireland if the same is not being reciprocated across the Border. It would diminish the effect of such initiatives.

With regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, NICE, guidelines to which so many medical professionals and pharmacists turn, if there is a hard Brexit or a full Brexit how will these guidelines be recognised? Will they just be the UK's guidelines and will we have to look to somewhere else? Have we looked at this issue?

These issues also feed into animal health also. We have the eradication of TB from our food supply and regulations on the removal of spinal cords in meat factories with regard to CJD and mad cow disease. Have we looked at this? What are we doing about it?