United Drug has made a "good start", this year and results are "comfortably ahead of last year", chairman, Mr Martin Rafferty, told shareholders at yesterday's annual general meeting of the pharmaceutical distributor in Belfast.

Around 100 shareholders attended the meeting and the company estimated that 25 per cent to 30 per cent were from the Republic.

United Drug chief executive, Mr Jerry Liston, said that Northern Ireland now accounted for 30 per cent of sales and profits and "a little more in employees".

Responding to one shareholder, Mr Liston said that Boots's takeover of the Hayes Conyngham Robinson (HCR) chain of 16 chemist outlets would have no material impact on the group.