The HSE is spending up to six times the cost of medicine for those on medical cards.

In 2014, it spent €20.5m on aspirin, when the cost of the drug was just over €3.4m.

The Sunday Business Post reported that more is paid in dispensing fees to pharmacists than the cost of the medicines themselves.

Of the €8m spent on paracetamol by the HSE, €6m was dispensing fees.

The next government is being urged by the medicines watchdog to consider cutting the fees paid to pharmacists, which would reduce the bill to the taxpayer.