Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I welcome the progress made in the talks between the HSE and the Irish Pharmaceutical Union, IPU. It is a great relief to medical card patients throughout the country. I have an issue about legislation. Is the Government reinterpreting or amending the Competition Act? When my colleague, Deputy Michael D. Higgins, proposed an amendment to this Act to address the problem of negotiations between bodies such as the IPU and the State, we were told that under the Competition Act, they could not negotiate. They now appear to have done so successfully. Will the Minister clarify the legislation in that regard because, as my colleague, Deputy Michael D. Higgins, previously pointed out, it affects other groups as well.

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