Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, I met pharmacists in Kildare representing 74 different pharmacies. Those pharmacies received 2.5 million visits last year. We all know the value of pharmacies in local communities. In addition to the medicines and prescriptions they dispense, the interactions they provide in smaller rural areas are very important. The proposed cuts announced on 25 October to pharmacists are unreasonable, unfair and unjustifiable. They make a mockery of Sláintecare. They will particularly damage pharmacies in small, rural and disadvantaged areas. There is no doubt that should the cuts go ahead, pharmacies will close. A meeting will take place with the Irish Pharmacy Union, IPU, on 5 December. Will the Taoiseach reconsider these cuts and not proceed with them?

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