Ivor Callely (Fianna Fail)

I express my concern and anxiety about a constituent of mine, Sharon Commins. I acknowledge the good work of our Department of Foreign Affairs, the Sudanese authorities and all others who are working for her safe release. I had the opportunity to meet the Sudanese Ambassador yesterday and good progress is being made, but our thoughts are with Sharon today and hopefully in the hours that follow we will have good news.

I would like the Leader to clarify a matter in regard to the pharmacy issue. We are a number of days away from a protest action being taken by pharmacists and we understand the Department of Health and Children and the HSE have a contingency plan for the supply of drugs. I do not know what that plan is in my area. I have not been given any briefing on it. If any person contacts me about it, I cannot tell him or her anything about it. I have been talking about the HSE for some time and now I am prepared to say publicly I have no faith in it to deliver any plan, service or contingency plan. Many people do not understand the pharmacy issue.