James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

The Minister has just contradicted herself. She wants a new contract negotiated and no changes to occur in the current contract. Is changing remuneration not a basic and major change in any contract? She would, of course, say she does not accept that, but she will find herself in a minority. The survey carried out by the HSE was answered by something like 18 pharmacists, out of 1,600. However, that is not the substance of what I want to speak about.

I wish to put on record what the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Health and Children circulated:

That no change be made to contracts between the HSE and community pharmacists in advance of the setting up, and reporting, of an independent body whose remit will be to make recommendations on the reimbursement to pharmacists for drugs supplied under the State's Community Drug Schemes, in consultation with the interests concerned;

recognises the vital role the community pharmacists play in the delivery of the health service;

further recognises that proposed changes to the contracts between the HSE and the pharmacists should be designed to allow for financial sustainability.

I had an addendum, which is not relevant here, but the first part of that is very relevant. Why did that disappear from the floor of the Joint Committee on Health and Children? What happened?

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