Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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229. To ask the Minister for Health the up-to-date position of her Department’s focused talks with a union (details supplied) on the community pharmacy contract and associated services and arrangements, including fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34895/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The State (the Department of Health and the HSE) has commenced formal contract negotiations with the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), under the agreed Framework of Engagement, published on 23 May 2025 (see www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/publications/framework-of-engagement-between-the-department-of-health-the-health-service-executive-and-the-irish-pharmacy-union/).

The current formal talks include a consideration of fee and service arrangements and related matters, with due regard to the IPU’s role as the representative body for community pharmacists. The intention is to reach an agreement which will support a modernised community pharmacy sector.

Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.