191 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on recent reports in the Irish Medical News dated 19 October, 1992, that he was understood to have clashed with the National Therapeutics Advisory Committee over its proposal to appoint prescribing Fellows and Advisors to promote rational drug prescribing in general practice.

The National Therapeutic Advisory Committee was established in 1991 by my predecessor as part of an integrated strategy adopted by the Government with a view to rationalising the cost and use of prescription drugs and medicines within the State.