Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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525. To ask the Minister for Health to consider providing funding for free blister packaging for patients from pharmacies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66968/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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There are currently no reimbursement arrangements under the General Medical Service (GMS) Scheme or the Community Drug Schemes for the filling of blister packs (monitored dosage systems). Community pharmacies may offer, as a quality initiative, to provide a patient’s medicines in such systems and may charge for this. However, such is a pharmacy arrangement with the patient and is not a State funded service.

There has been a significant focus on improving access to and the affordability of healthcare services over the last few years. This includes reductions in the Drugs Payment Scheme threshold, expansion of access to free GP care, and the abolition of all public in-patient hospital charges for children and adults. These measures continue to create a health and social care service that offers affordable access to quality healthcare.

The Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025 marks a significant milestone in the strategic collaboration between the Department of Health, the HSE, and the IPU. It sets out a comprehensive and ongoing pathway to modernise and expand the role of community pharmacy in Ireland’s healthcare system.

The Agreement is designed to support the delivery of safe, equitable, and efficient healthcare, and to ensure that community pharmacists are better equipped to contribute to national health priorities through structured engagement, sustainable funding, and integrated service delivery.

Under the Agreement, a Strategic Collaboration Group will be established from early 2026 which will provide a structured forum for dialogue and joint consideration of strategic issues shaping the future of community pharmacy in Ireland.

The Agreement also includes the establishment of a rolling annual medicines optimisation programme with dedicated annual funding. The Strategic Collaboration Group will be tasked with exploring the best way to utilise this fund.