Feargal Quinn (Independent)

The horrific deaths in County Donegal are a reminder to us that we cannot take our eye off the ball in regard to road safety. The work done in recent years may have meant people relaxed a little because the number of road deaths had reduced. Our sympathies go to all of the families who have lost the young men involved.

One of the scandals linked to the health service is the cost of medicines and health care, which is dramatically more expensive here than elsewhere. Those of us who have filled a prescription in Spain, France, the United States or Britain have been amazed at the difference in price. I had not realised until this week that one of the reasons for this was a large number of prescriptions in these countries did not need to be written by a doctor. One can go to the pharmacy and pick up the medicine there. It is good news that the Minister will announce later that steps are being taken here in that direction this year and I gather flu jabs will be available in pharmacies later this year without the need for a doctor's prescription. However, they will have to be paid for, including by medical card holders. I am sure there will be sufficient controls to ensure we are protected. The flu jabs are just the first step in that direction. It seems the vested interests the Minister must face in order to achieve any change in our health care system are difficult to deal with, but she has shown over the years in her various portfolios that she is able to face up to vested interests and let them know the right approach to take and tell them what we need to do. I urge the Minister to ensure over the next few months that she looks again at and faces up to the challenges so as to protect us and our pockets so we have a health care service that has more comparable costs to those of other countries. The Minister's heart is in the right place so let us encourage her to do this.