524. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if any advice or guidance has been provided to pharmacists with respect to the pause on changes to phased dispensing control mechanisms; if so, to provide a copy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5226/26]
Topics / Pharmacy Services
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsPharmacy Services
169 questions from 58 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 13 October 2026.
169
questions
166 written, 3 oral
58
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
4
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 2 |
| February 2025 | 2 |
| March 2025 | 1 |
| April 2025 | 13 |
| May 2025 | 4 |
| June 2025 | 11 |
| July 2025 | 2 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 3 |
| October 2025 | 7 |
| November 2025 | 7 |
| December 2025 | 18 |
| January 2026 | 25 |
| February 2026 | 19 |
| March 2026 | 3 |
| April 2026 | 5 |
| May 2026 | 30 |
| June 2026 | 3 |
| July 2026 | 7 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 6 |
| October 2026 | 1 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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27
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21
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20
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13
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5
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5
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5
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4
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
525. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the steps she is taking to address the concerns raised with respect to monitored dosage systems, or blister packs, as a result of changes agreed under the Community Pharmacy Agreement; if she intends to amend previously agreed changes in phased dispensing control mechanisms during the current pause; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5227/26]
526. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been brought to an issue related to changes under the Community Pharmacy Agreement (details supplied); if an instruction was issued to pharmacists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5228/26]
957. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the enforcement and compliance framework in place to ensure that pharmacies display, in a conspicuous location, the required information on professional service fees and the range of dispensing fees; the respective roles of the PSI and her Department; the actions that may follow where a pharmacy is found not to be compliant, including any sanctions or escalation…
958. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the commencement date and operational readiness of the requirement that, from January 2026, patients receive a detailed receipt itemising the medicine cost, the dispensing fee, where applicable, and any other professional service fees; the technical or system changes which were required to deliver this across the sector; to confirm the minimum information which …
959. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the number of complaints or concerns received by her Department, the HSE or the PSI since 1 December 2025 relating to non-display of fees, unclear pricing or refusal to provide an itemised receipt, by month, by category where available; the way in which patients can escalate concerns where they believe the guidance is not being followed; and if she will make a s…
960. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health whether her Department plans to review the impact of the PSI transparency guidance and the receipt requirement during 2026, including publishing compliance rates and any changes in average dispensing fees for private patients; whether she plans to place any elements of the guidance on a statutory footing through primary or secondary legislation; and if she will …
1015. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of pharmacists in relation to the eligibility for the free HRT scheme; the actions she will take to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4235/26]
2040. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the rationale for removing funding for monitored dosage systems (blister packs); the assessment carried out on the impact this will have on vulnerable patients, including those with dementia and complex medication regimes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73860/25]
2041. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will consider introducing a sustainable funding model for blister packs, given that the service costs approximately €70 per patient, per cycle, and is essential for medication safety and independent living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73861/25]
2042. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if her Department has engaged with the Irish Pharmacy Union regarding the removal of blister pack supports and the financial impact on community pharmacies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73862/25]
2043. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the guidance which has been issued to GPs and pharmacists regarding applications for blister packs following the policy change; the alternative supports which will be available for vulnerable patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73863/25]
2044. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of patients currently receiving blister packs and the projected impact of introducing charges of €20–€50 per month on these households; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73864/25]
2045. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if her Department has considered the risk of medication errors and hospital admissions resulting from the removal of blister pack supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73865/25]
2046. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health her plans to review the phased dispensing scheme, which currently covers only nine core drug families;and whether this will be expanded to include blister packs for vulnerable patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73866/25]
2047. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the total number of patients currently receiving monitored dosage systems (blister packs) through community pharmacies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73867/25]
2048. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a breakdown of blister pack users by category, including the number of patients with dementia; the number with severe or complex illnesses; the number requiring multiple medications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73868/25]
2049. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the clinical or risk assessments which have been carried out by her Department or the HSE on the impact of removing funding for blister packs, particularly in relation to medication adherence and hospital admissions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73869/25]
2050. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if any cost-benefit analysis has been undertaken comparing the cost of funding blister packs versus the potential cost of increased hospital admissions and adverse medication events; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73870/25]
2051. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will provide details of any consultation with patient advocacy groups, healthcare professionals, or the Irish Pharmacy Union before deciding to remove support for blister packs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73871/25]
2052. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the alternative measures which will be put in place to protect vulnerable patients who currently rely on blister packs for safe medication management; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73872/25]
2298. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if an organisation (details supplied) is advising pharmacists participating in the free HRT scheme to investigate if their patients are transgender where they suspect the gender marker on their medical records differs from their sex assigned at birth; if so, by what means pharmacists are being advised to identify such cases and obtain this information; the leg…
2555. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health the number of community pharmacies registered in each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2402/26]
2556. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health the number of community pharmacies that had signed up to provide the common conditions service by 1 December 2025, as required, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2403/26]
371. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health if she will intervene to ensure that patients are not charged for blister packs of medications prepared by pharmacists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72621/25]