Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I have repeatedly asked the Leader to intervene in the community pharmacy issue. The deadline is Saturday, 1 March. I can confirm that pharmacists around the country have begun between 500 and 600 legal cases against the unilateral breach of their contract by the Minister for Health and Children and the HSE. A significant amount of taxpayers' money will be wasted on litigation when those pharmacists are willing to engage with the Minister to save €100 million in drug costs.

Senator de Búrca is in denial when she talks about the new and expanded role of pharmacists. Many pharmacists already engage in the health promotion about which she spoke. Other rural and new pharmacists who would like to do so will go out of business. It is not fair to put people out of business. I do not want to see taxpayers' money wasted on litigation, as has happened in the Department of Education and Science which has spent €11.5 million fighting parents of children with special needs.

I was out of the House last week when the Leader replied to my request for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to address the serious water and sewerage crisis in Galway, particularly in Clifden. The Leader said that there had been a previous cock-up between Galway city and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.