Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

In her address to the Joint Committee on Health and Children, Aisling Reast, a young pharmacist from Lucan, stated:

Young pharmacists like me face financial ruin for wanting to play a key role in looking after our community's health. We want this issue to be resolved in a way that will ensure our patients will receive the service they need and that our members will be paid a fair rate for providing that service. All we want is fair play.

Pharmacists want negotiation and engagement. I ask the Minister to respond to some of the specific key areas of concern which have been articulated by Members from all sides regarding the impact of the unilateral change which took effect on 1 March.