Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I also thank them and pharmacies around the country for their contribution to dealing with the Covid issue and providing vaccinations, which was appreciated by everyone.

I will open with the issue of the chief pharmacist. It was stated that there was no one in the Department of Health with that level of expertise. The witnesses believe that a chief pharmacist should be appointed so that there could be much more co-ordination. Will they expand on how that could help the Department in dealing with the various challenges pharmacists face?