Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I particularly welcome the clarification the Minister has just given with regard to a couple who qualify for a medical card and where one party subsequently dies, the remaining party will retain the medical card. That will be of relief to many people.

The Minister spoke about people not realising the seriousness of the economic situation. When the Government negotiated the social partnership agreement recently, was it tuned into the reality of the economic situation?

On the issue of the €16 million that the Minister said she is saving on drugs——