Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that long-stay older patients in primary, community and continuing care hospitals are now required to have their prescriptions filled through community pharmacists so that the 50 cent prescription charge can be collected; if her further attention has been drawn to the fact that this is likely to be significantly more costly to the State because of the dispensing charge per item and the loss of drug purchase discounts which have been available to such hospitals; if she will reconsider this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36809/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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With effect from 1 October last, medical card holders are required to pay a 50c charge for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists under the General Medical Services Scheme, subject to a cap of €10 per month for each person or family. In some long-stay facilities patients receive their medicines and other prescription items from hospital pharmacies and are not, therefore, subject to prescription charges. This practice is currently under review from an equity perspective.