Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

I echo what my colleagues have said. This is probably one of the most serious issues that has arisen in terms of medical services in a number of years. Why is the Minister not here? Where is the Minister, Deputy Harney? This is a serious issue but her absence is an indication of the way she regards it. Patients are concerned about getting their medications. The livelihood of pharmacists is being threatened. They are taking an 8.2% reduction from pharmacists but many pharmacists are not getting that level of discounts. When the old dispensary system was abolished in the early 1970s, pharmacists were to set up a network throughout the country from which they could dispense. The Minister is standing over the dismantling of this service. She must demand that the HSE enter into negotiations with the IPU to resolve this issue before a disaster occurs. Pharmacists are being backed into a corner, where they are being forced to threaten to terminate their contracts individually.

That is totally unacceptable. The Minister should be here tonight dealing with the issue. She should, as a matter of urgency, demand that the HSE enter into formal negotiations with the IPU. They should sit down, engage in consultation and allow the pharmacists go on with their business, providing a very good service in all areas of the country and being an efficient part of the HSE. Many other parts are not so efficient.

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