Statement from Minister for Health

I welcome the outcome of the engagement by the Health Service Executive, the Irish Pharmacy Union and officials from my own Department.

I respect the level of pressure that pharmacists have been under, particularly at this time, with vaccinations, flu season and preparations for the new common conditions service.

The IPU and its members will now have more time to engage with patients in a structured and individualised way over the next three months. Pharmacists are experts in their patients' medicines needs and their care.

I and the government have always been committed to delivering for patients, ensuring healthcare professionals are working at the top of their training and achieving value for money for taxpayers. The Community Pharmacy Agreement is good for patients who will get more timely access to care in their communities and good for pharmacists by creating a new revenue stream meaning they can provide more services to patients, particularly through the new Common Conditions Service.

Engagement with patients and delivering better, more transparent services for them is at the heart of my work. That is why from December 1st, pharmacies are required to display information about the cost of all professional services on a clear notice visible to patients. From January 2026, patients will receive a detailed receipt for any transaction outlining the costs of the medicine dispensing fee (where applicable) and the cost of any other professional service offered by the pharmacist, including any fee for the monitored dosage system which remains a private fee that may be charged.