Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not see them referred to in any of the replies. That does not mean that the HSE does not know about them, although it surely must. The incoming working, tax-paying population has doubled in the last few years.

To move on to something else, there are a number of issues that beset the delivery of health services. I know that Covid is one issue. I think the HSE did extremely well there and a great effort was made. To save the public, we need to get on top of this job and to deliver health services wherever they are needed. In the past month or six weeks, I was informed of an outstanding reimbursement under the hardship clause. Pharmacists were not being paid. I spent four days on the telephone. I explored every possible nook and cranny to find the problem. I eventually found out that nobody was dealing with the situation when the requisitions were made to be passed on for payment. It was eventually sought, but I spent four days on the telephone and made about 70 phone calls. That should not happen. What are we doing to eliminate such pinch points? It appeared to be a delay that only affected pharmacists, but it affected the patients in a serious way.