Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The practice of pharmacy is governed by the Pharmacy Acts 1875 to 1962. I am aware that the current fitness to practise provisions in these Acts are inadequate for the modern practice of pharmacy. On foot of the recommendations of the pharmacy review group I obtained Government approval in June 2005 to commence the process of drafting, as a priority, new pharmacy legislation to allow, among other things, the making of fitness to practise regulations for pharmacists. The purpose of these new provisions is to ensure the highest standards from pharmacists and to safeguard the safe and effective delivery of pharmaceutical services.

My Department is at an advanced stage in drawing up the heads and general scheme of a pharmacy fitness to practise Bill and I intend to take a memorandum to Government in the very near future, seeking approval for the draft heads and general scheme and requesting that the legislation be referred to the parliamentary counsel's office for formal drafting of the Bill.

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