Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to be very clear, in that I am certainly not, and I hope no one in government is - I have not heard anyone in government doing this, and the Minister for Health certainly is not - blaming pharmacists at all. Pharmacists have an important role to play. In fact, in our programme for Government, we commit to wanting to see an expanded role for pharmacists and a new pharmacy contract. When properly and robustly financially supported, there is huge potential for pharmacists to do more. I know that from calling into them across the country. There is no blame game here at all. What there is is a new Minister in a new Government determined to get this issue over the line.

I asked everybody involved, including the pharmacists, to let us all have a little give and take and try to reach a resolution quickly. There is a lot of active engagement going on. I do not want to say anything disrespectful to that process but I am hopeful that the issue can be brought to a speedy resolution. It is important that it is. I accept it is going on too long. I accept women expected the measure to be in place before now. It needs to be brought to a finality and that is the Minister's priority.

See this speech in context