Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

It is shameful that the Fianna Fáil members of the committee were not able to agree on the first part of that motion, which was originally a Labour Party motion. If that had been agreed, we would have a much stronger hand with the Minister today and she would have had to listen to the combined voice of the Oireachtas. Unfortunately that is not what happened. Nevertheless, I do not want the record to be incorrect.

Is it true that €100 million is being taken from the money that is paid directly to pharmacists? How will the Minister ensure that the money does not remain absent and is somehow or other transferred to wholesalers?

I also have a copy of the letter sent by my Limerick colleague, although not my party colleague, former Minister of State Deputy Tim O'Malley. Mr. O'Malley states: "If the changes go ahead as scheduled on March 1, it is my opinion that the implications for our national delivery of pharmaceutical services will be nothing less than catastrophic". Does the Minister agree with that? How will she ensure that small community pharmacists who have taken out large loans can stay in business if this goes through on 1 March?

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