Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

According to 2006 HSE figures, 42,792 individuals — 30% of the Kerry population — depend on community pharmacies for medicines dispensed under various community drug schemes. As has been stated, local pharmacies have dispensed not just prescriptions but expert medical advice and reassurance to their customers while building up an invaluable personal relationship with the local community over the course of years.

As a result of the unilateral decision taken by the HSE under the direction of Government, patients will now have to pay for their medicines on 1 May. Many people will just not have the capability or capacity to pay for their medicines and will do without them. As a result, there will certainly be fatalities.

It is unfortunate the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith, is here as I saw he took all the Adjournment matters in the Seanad tonight. He would not want to become Minister for the Adjournment. Will the Minister of State convey to the Minister and the Government our concerns? At this stage it is in their hands and they must intervene. I appeal to the Minister of State, and other Ministers, to get the Government to intervene before it is too late and all the consequences mentioned by the three previous speakers come into effect.

See this speech in context