Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The 2020-21 influenza vaccination season will be the tenth year that pharmacists have been permitted to provide a vaccination service to patients on pharmacy premises. It is considered appropriate to build on the existing good practice and patient trust to further develop this service in order to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the public. The Senator is quite right that the community pharmacists are an untapped resource and offer a fantastic service in all our communities.

The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is looking forward to seeing how this important service extension will be delivered and he is very hopeful it will have a positive effect on increasing access to the winter flu vaccination. It is important to acknowledge and appreciate the crucial role that pharmacists continue to play in our communities and healthcare system. I thank the Senator again for raising this very important matter.