Ms Ann-Marie Horan:

Yes, as well as those who might ask whether one would mind looking at something to ascertain whether they need to see a doctor. We also would lose the personal touch and would lose the consultation. All pharmacies now have consultation rooms so we can spend some minutes discussing a specific concern a patient might have. One would lose all that. A buzzer does not guarantee that someone who is planning on robbing the pharmacy will not come in. A pharmacist who works for me also works for another pharmacy in Clondalkin. Around Christmas a guy buzzed the door at 6 p.m. The staff looked at the CCTV and saw he was wearing a baseball cap but they thought he looked fine and let him in. He had a shopping bag that contained a hatchet. He was looking for money from the till. They had buzzed him in. Nothing guarantees security.