Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy said, pharmacists are highly trusted and skilled. They did an incredible job during the Covid pandemic. There was resistance to expanding their scope and that is why it has not happened in a very long time. I do not subscribe to this thinking. Expansion will make a big difference to ordinary punters in the community in that they will not have to go to a GP with minor ailments, such as eye conditions and rashes. Rather, they will be able to get certain prescriptions from pharmacists and have them extended. This is obviously an opportunity for the public and also one for pharmacists in terms of new services. In this regard, I have said there is significant money on the table. There is also a good opportunity for general practice because what is being done will take some of the pressure and lower acuity work off GPs.

One of the things we have committed to doing as part of cutting the red tape is getting rid of the dot-matrix printers, which may have been invented sometime in the 1700s, fired with coal and powered with steam. Pharmacists will be very happy to see them leave their premises.

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