Ireland, which is fully in Europe like France and many other Countries, (ie Kilometres per hour, "continental" road signs, euro currency) enjoys MUCH cheaper vets bills and drugs than the UK which is not. We are in the Euro zone and much of the economic legislation is dictated by the Euro zone Countries who are allowed to sit round the table and participate, which the UK cannot, as it has one foot in Europe and the other foot out, neither one thing nor the other. As far as prices go, it's no wonder that the UK is more expensive for many things.
Incidentally, my last vet in Athlone prescribed human drugs, although the Irish tend to do their own thing, legislation or not!
The last blood test I had done, which had to be sent to Dublin, cost the equivalent of £17.