Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

As I previously pointed out to the Minister, when the public talks about the issues we are discussing, it probably does not understand the roles of the PSI and the Irish Pharmaceutical Union and the role of the Irish Medical Organisation compared with that of the Medical Council. When we talk about this and put information into the public domain, we must be crystal clear.

What was envisaged in the primary care health strategy is not the case today. Approximately 80% of single primary care centres have some association with a pharmacy with regard to their development. The Minister needs to clearly specify the way in which we are going to move this forward. The area is now very complex because the Minister never dealt with the 2003 recommendations.

Is this Bill purely about commercial concerns? Does it purely concern prescribing and dispensing? Has the Minister taken on board the fact that a number of GPs prescribe and dispense from their surgeries? Will anything in this legislation conflict with the regulation of that sector within the medical profession? Who will these doctors be answerable to? Is there any role for the Irish Pharmaceutical Union or will it remain a matter purely for the HSE?

The Minister is saying the PSI must inspect both the pharmacist and the premises. GPs also dispense medication in some rural areas. Does that mean that the PSI must also inspect these GPs' practices and their records with regard to the dispensing element of the practices or does this remain the function of the HSE? It is not clearly written in the legislation whose function it will be in future with regard to the regulation of this very small and specific sector.

The Minister made an interesting point in respect of the PSI inspecting both the pharmacist and the premises. She said that "sanctions, if judged necessary, can be applied evenly to those responsible for the provision of the service and not just to the individual pharmacist". This would be a very complex issue. Is the Minister saying that sanctions will be applied on a 50:50 basis to the pharmacist and the corporate entity which owns the pharmacy? This seems to conflict with natural justice in the sense that people would challenge those outcomes in the courts. If a pharmacist working for a corporation was asked to do something inappropriate which was reported to PSI, the PSI could sanction the pharmacist. The Minister is saying here that the PSI must also sanction the corporation involved.

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