John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 226: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if health centres are open to Government funding; if same are awarded GMS contracts; if there are restrictions put on the health centres in receipt of such contracts for the opening of pharmacies in such health centres; her views on whether pharmacies operating within health centres will lead to less competition and less opportunities for smaller pharmacies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33946/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy's question refers to facilities which would support the delivery of primary care services on a multidisciplinary basis. The provision of modern, well equipped, accessible premises will be central to the effective functioning of primary care teams and networks. It is therefore necessary to facilitate and encourage the development, where appropriate, of modern, well equipped, user-friendly buildings in which the broad range of primary care services, including general practice, can be delivered.

To ensure that appropriate facilities are developed on the required scale, resources other than those of the Exchequer will be required and this is line with the historic practice, whereby there has been a mix of public and private facilities provision, with, for example, general practitioners in many cases funding their own practice premises. In this regard, the primary care strategy emphasises the need to gain full benefit from existing buildings and to fully explore opportunities for private investment and public-private partnerships in implementing the development programme. The Government is committed to developing policy in such a way as to encourage innovative approaches to the provision of primary care facilities and services in line with the objectives of the primary care strategy.

The Health Service Executive is responsible for the selection and recruitment of general practitioners to provide services under the general medical services scheme. Such contracts are awarded to individual general practitioners meeting the necessary requirements under the contract. The GMS contract requires the GP to provide a waiting room and a surgery to meet the needs of the practice. The contract also provides that participating GPs may be offered facilities to practise in health centres or other HSE accommodation.

The Health (Community Pharmacy Contractor Agreement) Regulations 1996, which were revoked by my predecessor in January 2002 following advice from the Office of the Attorney General, set out the criteria and procedures for granting community pharmacy contracts in the HSE areas. The effect of the revocation for the awarding of new community pharmacy contracts is that there are no restrictions on granting new community pharmacy contracts in terms of location, population or viability of existing pharmacies. The revocation did not affect the operation of the community pharmacy scheme and existing contracts at that time remained in place. The opening or establishment of all new pharmacies continues to be governed by the Pharmacy Acts, subject to restrictions imposed by non-pharmacy legislation such as the Planning Acts.

The Government has accepted the recommendation of the pharmacy review group that there be no beneficial interest between prescribing and dispensing. Currently, a community pharmacy contract may not be awarded to a pharmacy in which a GP practising in the area has a beneficial interest.