Mr. Daragh Connolly:

We think that what Senator Crown is referring to is what one might call mon-and-pop pharmacies. There has been constant change in pharmacy in Ireland since the introduction of the State. Pharmacy is practised in different ways in different jurisdictions, so pharmacies look different in different countries and those pharmacists have different skill sets. Pharmacists not only are good health care professionals but must also be good retailers. Many people are not playing to their strengths because previously they did not have to work so hard at the retail end. There is some agglomeration, with co-operatives of pharmacies coming together in order to give the best value to patients and to be able to give the expert advice those patients want. The service is evolving and ongoing. We live in turbulent times and always look at our overheads and cost models and endeavour to offer the best value we can to patients and customers. We enjoy being embedded in our communities. We enjoy the accessibility we can offer within our pharmacies to patients and customers.

To refer to Senator Ciara Conway's point about emergency hormonal contraception, by being able to keep the doors open and by having a retail offering as well as the expert health care advice, we can be available on Saturdays for emergency hormonal contraception and other facilities that cannot be reached through primary care - that is, GPs.