The huge problem of "medical" drugs being offered for sale on the internet is getting worse, according to Junior Health Minister Tim O'Malley.
There were enormous implications for safety, especially that of vulnerable people with psychiatric illnesses who might start getting medicines on the internet which would not be prescribed for them.
Speaking in a debate on the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, Mr O'Malley said Brendan Ryan (Labour) had raised a valid point about the significant internet trade in what he had described as "effectively prescription drugs". This was a worldwide phenomenon.
"We have absolutely no idea as to the damage that is going on. We do know that there are terrorists involved, and that it is also being used to launder money. What people may think they are getting on the internet is totally different to what they get."
He said he had meetings with the Irish Medicines Board (IMB), the Irish Patients' Association (IPA), the Revenue and the Garda on the matter. The IPA, in agreement with the IMB, had recently received a small grant to further research this and to advise the department.
Mr O'Malley said the IMB were very aware of the problem. There had been some arrests. There was very good co-operation between the board and the Revenue "on seizing stuff coming in and that type of thing".
Mr Ryan said he would like to see a study carried out into the market for internet drugs in different countries, and whether this depended on the generosity of their public health services.
"I wonder is there any evidence that where people have access to comparatively cheap prescription medicine through their public health services you find a decline in the demand, and, by contrast, you find a huge demand in a country like the US which probably has the cruellest health service in the world.
"The one thing I would ask the Minister not to do is to go the route of trying to blame the internet service providers. That would be shooting the messenger because you don't like the message, again. We have to make sure that people have access to medication at a price that they can reasonably afford."
Steps were being taken to have the planned major extension of the penalty points system in place in four months' time, said Transport Minister of State Ivor Callely.
He said the Minister had recently expressed his disappointment that they had not been in a position to see the greater application of the penalty points scheme to other key road safety offences.
"It is my understanding that the IT systems and other administrative support mechanisms will be in place by the beginning of April next year, and that the major extension planned for the operation of the system can be put in place at that point."