Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the type, brand and number of units of anti-viral medicines available to deal with a possible pandemic in view of the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and elsewhere; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17292/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Stocks of antivirals sufficient to treat 47% of the population are currently stockpiled.

We have one million courses of adult dosage Tamiflu; 177,958 of 30mg paediatric capsules; 51,549 of 45mgs paediatric capsules and 706,000 courses of Relenza in stock for an Influenza Pandemic.

Recommendations for the stockpiling of antivirals are kept under constant review by the Pandemic Influenza Expert Group. The quantity of antivirals in stock or on order is enough to treat almost 2 million people. This compares very favourably with other countries across Europe and beyond.