Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will ask the Minister for Health to look at that. My understanding is that in any such case of a drug being presented there is research undertaken, I believe by the Health Research Board, HRB, to establish the health efficacy of the drug and the price for which it should be procured if it is effective. That results in negotiations, where it is proven effective, between the company and the Health Service Executive, HSE. I do not know the status of this but every new drug is assessed on a fair basis to ensure it is cost effective to introduce into the health service.

See this speech in context