Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

One area in which we have much information is on what drugs patients receive with assistance from the State. For example, all the drug costs of general medical scheme patients heretofore have been paid by the State. The HSE has data on all those patients and the medicines they receive each month and it pays pharmacies accordingly. The intention is that the legislation will provide for a deduction of 50 cent per item prescribed, subject to a cap of €10 per family. No doubt we will be debating this in the House shortly.

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