Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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468. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing the prescription charge to €1 with a monthly cap of €10; his future plans for this charge and the cap; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32711/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

This Government is commitment to reducing the cost of medicines for patients. The prescription charge for medical card holders aged 70 and over was reduced earlier in 2017. I will continue to examine opportunities to address the cost of the prescription charge to patients, having regard to the funding available for health services.