Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I am pleased to address the Bill in the House and to respond to some of the statements made. If they had been reported to me, I would have been surprised.

I will begin with Senator Doherty's contribution. He referred to for-profit hospitals, but he made a point about pharmacists. They are private operators and in it for profit. The most expensive pharmacies in Europe are in Ireland and pharmacists pay millions of euro to enter the business. One would wonder why they would do so were the business not lucrative.

In the interest of the taxpayer, the Government has sought to reduce the money paid for drugs because we pay more than any other country. We will save €100 million per year through the new negotiations with the producers of medicines and €90 million per year in respect of wholesalers. We pay pharmacists a dispensing fee of €3 euro per item dispensed through the GMS and a 50% mark-up for each drug they dispense on all other schemes. If a drug costs €100, pharmacists will receive €50 plus a dispensing fee. While the Senator seems to support pharmacists blackmailing the Government by withdrawing services from the most vulnerable, it is incredible and we will not support it.