Mr. Daragh Connolly:

Some 75 million prescriptions are dispensed every year. There are 96 million interactions between Irish people and their pharmacists. On average people see their pharmacist 13 times a year. As community pharmacists, every day we listen to people who are hugely frustrated at not being able to access very simple healthcare. We have come up with really good ideas which are only a reflection of international best practice that can save money and increase access to healthcare, which then has the downstream effect of not making things more complicated later on where we can actually deliver. It is hugely frustrating that we have not got the traction that we believe Irish patients deserve.