Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

During the period of austerity, financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, legislation was introduced which resulted in cuts of up to 33% in the income of the Irish pharmacies. Since the FEMPI cuts of 2009, pharmacy is the only sector which has not had those cuts reversed. Pharmacists were buoyed up by a commitment the Minister gave at the annual conference of the Irish Pharmacy Union, IPU, that would see the FEMPI cuts abolished and talks commenced on a new pharmacy contract. Unfortunately, the Minister and Department are now proposing further cuts for the pharmacy sector which would result in an average reduction in income of more than €12,000. This completely contradicts the Sláintecare strategy which aims to keep key health services in the community with the focus on primary care. Will the Taoiseach give a commitment to leave the current contractual arrangements in place and immediately start the promised negotiations on a new pharmacy contact and investment in improved pharmacy services for the benefit of the public?

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