Seanad report: A proposed maximum fine of €5,000 would be a more effective penalty for breaches of meat-labelling rules, said Minister of State for Health Brian Lenihan.
Speaking on the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2005, he said it was intended to include a requirement for information on the country of origin of beef to be available at the point of final consumption in the restaurant and catering sectors.
The amendment would also enable regulations to be made to extend the requirements on labelling for poultrymeat, pigmeat and sheepmeat to provide full country-of-origin information at retail and catering level.
Mr Lenihan said the Bill allowed for the transfer of certain functions in relation to controlled drugs from his department to the Irish Medicines Board (IMB), and for the improved operation of the board in relation to medicines and the control of clinical trials.
It also amended the Irish Medicines Board Act, 1995, in relation to medicinal, cosmetic and veterinary products, and to drug precursors and medical devices.
It also provides for nurse prescribing on a statutory basis. This would allow medicinal products such as those used in palliative care situations to be issued in prescribed circumstances by certain registered nurses.
Outlining another proposed amendment, the Minister said it would provide for all children, regardless of where they were being educated, to be eligible for dental, ophthalmic and aural health examinations, and for follow-up treatment.
Feargal Quinn (Ind) suggested that the IMB keep a register of those drugs for which there were generic equivalents, and publish that information via the internet to the medical profession and to pharmacists.
He said branded drugs invariably cost more than generic ones. As we tried to improve our health service we should try to ensure that what we spent on it was well spent.
He said year after year we were throwing considerable amounts of money down the drain in spending on drugs.
"The register would be a considered statement by an authoritative and respected body that there is no significant therapeutic difference between these drugs other than price," he said.
Mr Lenihan said there could be a substantial saving to the Exchequer were they to decide what drugs could be prescribed, but they could not do that. However, they could work on this problem.
Geraldine Feeney (FF) said she welcomed the extension of the powers available in the Misuse of Drugs Act to prohibit big companies and their officials involved in community pharmacy from having controlled drugs following a conviction for an offence under the Act or the Customs Act.
She believed this was a very important step because of the trend for bigger pharmacies and chains to come in and take over local, family-run pharmacies.