Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I have three questions. Why does the Minister treat the pharmacists in a different way from how she treated the medical consultants? Why did she spend many hours over almost four years going through the arbitration system to ensure that they were happy with what was to be implemented? With the pharmacists, the Minister chose the jackboot and only used an arbitrator, Mr. Dorgan, after the event. They cannot understand it.

The HSE told the last meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children that the wholesalers had bought into this scheme. However, I received a letter, through Deputy Calleary, from United Drug which clearly demonstrates that is not the case. They never gave such a commitment. How can medical card holders and pharmacists trust anything the HSE does after this? I share the view that we must get better value for money. The Minister spoke about the losers but we all know the losers will be the people at the bottom — the small pharmacies throughout the country and the people who will have to beg to get what they are due with their medical cards. Of course, given the Progressive Democrats' philosophy, the Minister will not be too worried about that.

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