Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

On 17 September, the Health Service Executive announced new reimbursement arrangements for community pharmacists under the GMS and community drugs schemes. These new pricing arrangements are due to come into effect next Saturday, 1 December. In response, pharmacists have threatened to withdraw from dispensing medicines under the GMS scheme. If that goes ahead next Saturday, medical card holders throughout the country will be unable to fill their prescriptions in the normal way at their chemists. The problem has arisen because the HSE claims it cannot negotiate directly with the Irish Pharmaceutical Union because of the provisions of the Competition Act. I understand some form of consultative process has been put in place under Mr. Bill Shipsey, SC to substitute for direct negotiations.

Can the Taoiseach assure the House that all medical card holders in the country will be able to have their prescriptions filled in the normal way in their local pharmacy after next Saturday? Second, will implementation of the pricing arrangements announced by the HSE be deferred from 1 December to allow negotiations to take place? Third, does the Taoiseach accept that when the Competition Act was passed it was not intended by any Member of the House that it would be used to prevent direct discussions taking place between the Health Service Executive and bodies such as the Irish Pharmaceutical Union? Is he prepared to accept the Labour Party Private Members' Bill, in the name of Deputy Michael D. Higgins, which would amend the Competition Act to allow bodies such as the Irish Pharmaceutical Union and Irish Actors Equity to negotiate directly with appropriate State agencies on behalf of their members?

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