Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the Health Service Executive has engaged with a group (details supplied) and community pharmacists on the reform of the GMS scheme and a new pharmacy contract; if the HSE has repaid the arrears outstanding to the pharmacists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40104/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Service Executive, with the support of my Department, agreed with the Irish Pharmacy Union on 28th April 2008 to address a number of matters including engagement on a new substantive contract and payment of outstanding general round increases. Progress has been made in relation to the general round increases. Engagement on a new contract was deferred pending the judgment of the Commercial Court in a case relating to wholesale reimbursement pricing. Now that the Court has delivered its judgment, I intend to initiate a process of engagement with the IPU at an early date.

Arising from the recent Commercial Court judgment, the Health Service Executive (HSE) have reinstated the previous level of payment to pharmacists from October 2008 forward. The question of outstanding payments for the period March to September 2008 is under consideration by the HSE.