Page 54 of the programme for Government states "We will ... significantly reduce the cost of medicines". How does this marry up with the 25,000 people who have been affected by the removal of the Versatis patch from all drugs payment and medical card schemes? These people are suffering from chronic pain, chronic nerve pain, including people with fibromyalgia and other types of pain they will have to live with for the remainder of their lives. On 12 December the Taoiseach told me this was a decision made by the HSE.

In the programme for Government, the Government stated it would reduce the cost of medicines. There has been a campaign in recent weeks in which people have highlighted the pain and suffering they are going through. What will the Government do for these genuine individuals who are in serious pain?

The cost of medicines has been reduced. Prescription charges for medical card patients under the age of 70 years were reduced in January and those who do not have medical cards who obtain medicines under the drugs payment scheme had the cost reduced in January by €10 a month. We intend to continue to reduce the cost of medicines for persons with medical cards and those who do not have them as the years pass. On the specific medicine referred to, the medicines management programme, a HSE programme which ensures medicines are used for the correct indications, has a system which it is only supposed to be prescribed for the treatment of shingles, but if it is being prescribed to treat non-shingles cases, people can apply for approval.