Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I raise the continued absence of a chief pharmaceutical officer, CPO, in the healthcare system or the Department of Health. The role is essential to manage medicine and pharmacy services. It is missing in Ireland, unlike many other countries. We have a chief medical officer, a chief nursing officer, a chief dental officer and a chief veterinary officer. Certainly a CPO would ensure we have the correct medicines and pharmacy services for our people. Our system for medicines and pharmacy is complicated, which causes delays in getting new medicines to treat people. Right now, community pharmacists are dealing with medicine shortages. We need a plan to fix this. Ireland is unique as we have a big pharmaceutical industry. We need a strong voice in Europe to talk about medicines and a CPO could do that. In simple terms, a CPO would ensure we have the right medicines, fix medicine shortages and make sure we have better pharmacies. Does the Taoiseach support the idea of having a chief pharmaceutical officer and, if so, what steps will he take to put one in place? We need to cut through the red tape and bureaucracy in the Department of Health and make this happen for the good of our people and the sector.

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