John Minihan (Progressive Democrats)

I belong to a party which supports competition and the market economy. However, that is not to say the market economy does not have its limitations or that there are not instances where Government must intervene to protect the public interest. I am not driven to achieve a free market at any cost. I recognise, for example, the need for Government to intervene, particularly in the provision of key social and health services. When it comes to services of this nature, the overriding consideration must be what Government can do to ensure quality services are available or to improve services, whether they are provided directly by Government or on behalf of Government through the private sector. Appropriate services should be delivered by the private sector on behalf of Government where it is effective and efficient to do so. For example, I recently read a report from the pharmaeconomics department of St. James's Hospital that estimated that it was 11 times cheaper for Government to deliver the methadone protocol through the private sector, that is, through pharmacies and general practitioners, than directly through State services.

I am happy to say I support the motion. In doing so I put down a clear marker that competition and economics are not the be all and end all in providing professional services for the people. The Tánaiste referred at some length to the debate on pharmacy, one of the areas of which I have some experience and on which I would like to make a few points to highlight the arguments I am making. The decision is whether we view a pharmacy as a retailer driven by economics or as an integral part of the health service operated by professionals who provide a medical service for their customers. It is interesting to note that even when all sectors of the medical service are under attack, there is no dissatisfaction among members of the public with the service provided for them by their local community pharmacist, yet we have a situation where people driven by economic logic are set on following a course of action that will seriously damage the service available to the customer. A recent report commissioned by the EU on the economic impact of regulation in the field of liberal professions in different member states interestingly showed that Ireland has the lowest level of regulation in the pharmacy sector.

In a submission to the Pharmacy Review Group referred to by the Tánaiste, the Asthma Society of Ireland stated that it, "as a representative organisation of and for people with asthma, would have grave concerns with regard to this term of reference that deems to 'maximise the potential to increase competition within the sector', if this means deregulating the sector." It stated that encouraging open competition, whereby chains of pharmacies could set up throughout Ireland, would more than likely damage local pharmacies in the community. It also stated that: