Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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252. To ask the Minister for Health the plans he will put in place to ensure prescribed medication can be accessed by patients who would otherwise need to go into accident and emergency units after 10 p.m. in Cork due to the fact there are no longer late-night pharmacies open past 10 p.m.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47744/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Pharmacists wishing to practise in Ireland must be registered with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI). The PSI is also the registering authority for retail pharmacies in Ireland in order that they may open and operate. Opening times are a commercial matter for each retail pharmacy based on the market demand in their respective local areas. The provision of late-night opening times is not a contractual obligation in respect of the operating times of individual pharmacies.

I understand that there are reports of workforce issues facing community pharmacies which may also be impacting on their decisions in respect of opening times. The PSI has been liaising with stakeholders, including the Irish Pharmacy Union, on efforts being taken within the sector to address these issues. This a complex problem with many contributing factors and multiple stakeholders which re-enforces the need for robust data to be best able to determine the current landscape, assess future health system needs and understand existing sectoral challenges now and into the future. The PSI are currently undertaking a project, entitled ‘Emerging Risks to the Future Pharmacy Workforce’, which is set to “assess emerging risks to the continued availability of a professional pharmacy workforce within community and hospital pharmacy in Ireland”.  The PSI has also committed in its Service Plan 2022 to complete a review of the Third Country Qualification Route (TCQR) and propose changes to the Council.

Given that some pharmacies do extend their opening hours, it would only be in rare circumstances that a person would be unable to access their medication at a community pharmacy and would need to present at their nearest Accident and Emergency Department for that purpose.