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independent body, that could then give grants to people with a track record of giving evidence-based information to the public. As a pharmacist who no longer practises, I believe that any company running a disease awareness campaign should declare in its advertising that it is doing

days until 1 June. Women throughout the country are contacting us all. They are so anxious to know what is happening. Most pharmacists tell us they cannot implement the scheme and the reimbursement scheme, apparently, has problems with IT. We need to hear that the scheme will

education has been amazing but as the Minister, all the other Members of this House and I know, the law does not allow pharmacists to prescribe although they are qualified to do so. Advanced nurse practitioners have qualifications that enable them

Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the action she has taken to ensure that community pharmacists will administer the free hormone replacement therapy, HRT, scheme from 1 June 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24511/25

lack of HRT. We want to give out free HRT and yet we know there are enormous stock shortages in the system. Pharmacists now are having to seek out unlicensed medicines, which are not recognised with the primary care reimbursement service, PCRS, and costing on average €15.90 while

medicine shortages across Europe, as we have discussed before. That is precisely why I have tried to recognise the experience and expertise of pharmacists to make sure they are recognised for what they do. I am not exactly sure what the Deputy would have me do differently

first thing was to have written to every pharmacist in the country

straw that is breaking the camel's back. We are all clear that pharmacists are not on the breadline

foolish to assume that the pharmacy sector is like what it was 20 years ago. This is about recognition and respect for what pharmacists are delivering. A figure of €6.50 was agreed for the contraception scheme. I get that a negotiation has to take place - I come from

additional line has to be put in. I have spoken to a number of pharmacists - not just one - and they have told me that there has been no communication with them about what will be added to the software to link them to the PCRS by 1 June

value for money for taxpayers and everything else. I respect the IPU. It has a job to do, which is to advocate for pharmacists, but just because it says a certain figure, do we all just say that is the figure

dispensing fee was and what the State paid towards that, recognising that the State is paying €500 million of taxpayers money to pharmacists every year to support taxpayers in accessing medicines. There is a lot of merit in what the Deputy is describing. Let us have a think

year and that position has not changed. The Government set aside money to pay for the products but not the dispensing fee for pharmacists. I have met the pharmaceutical union. I am engaging with it to see if there is something we can do but the reality

stands in stark contrast to the huge effort we see from council staff, emergency personnel, GPs and their surgeries, public health nurses, community pharmacists, postmasters and their staff, ESB personnel, Civil Defence, community volunteers, Defence Forces personnel, farmers and small local businesses. Time and again