High Court proceedings brought by the HSE aimed at compelling more than 30 pharmacies to continue to provide medicine to the public under the terms of the community drugs schemes have been adjourned until September.

Health Minister Mary Harney is due to meet the Irish Pharmacy Union at some stage this week in an effort to bring an end to the dispute over the fees paid for dispensing medicine under state schemes.

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) said it will meet with the Health Minister to discuss the ongoing pharmacy dispute.

Health Minister Mary Harney is again appealing to pharmacists who have contracts with the HSE to provide full services to patients on the community drugs scheme.

The executive of the Irish Pharmacy Union is meeting later this morning to decide how it will proceed with its dispute with the HSE which is now entering its second week.

The HSE has secured a High Court order compelling more than 30 pharmacies in the East of the country to continue to provide medicines to the public.

Age Action has called on the HSE to review its contingency plans for the dispensing of medication under the community drugs schemes, in order to ensure that older people do not have to travel long distances or face lengthy delays to have their prescriptions filled.

Health Minister Mary Harney has again ruled out mediation in the dispute that has seen hundreds of pharmacies around the country withdraw from the medical-card scheme.

Health Minister Mary Harney tonight refused to back down in the face of a crippling pharmacists’ dispute insisting cuts in fees are not up for discussion.

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) today again blasted the HSE's contingency plans for supplying drugs under state schemes, saying the "inadequate" measures "were continuing to unravel".

The Health Service Executive (HSE) is warning pharmacists that it will seek legal action if their dispute over fees paid for the state drugs scheme continues.

The bitter row over pharmacy fees escalated tonight as health chiefs warned protesting pharmacists they could face court action if they fail to adhere to State contracts.

Pharmacists today warned that the quality of service and care to patients around the country is continuing to deteriorate as a row continues between pharmacists and the HSE.

The Health Service Executive is accusing the Irish Pharmacy Union of scaremongering in relation to the ongoing pharmacists' dispute.

The HSE's contingency plan for dispensing medicines to medical-card holders is set to be put to the test today as demand increases following the bank holiday weekend.

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has today hit back in what is becoming an increasingly bitter war of words with the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Widespread medicine shortages and delays are being forecast by the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) following the withdrawal of as many as 800 pharmacists from the Drug Payment schemes.

Patients on state drug schemes are being advised to contact the HSE helpline as further disruption to services is expected in the coming days.

More disruption is being anticipated during the coming days as the row between the HSE and the Irish Pharmacy Union continues.

Protests which shut hundreds of pharmacies across Ireland will create even more problems next week, union organisers warned today.

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) is disputing the HSE's announcement that over 1,100 pharmacists are continuing to dispense medicine under the State drug schemes today.

Plans by the HSE to supply medicines to patients on the Community Drugs Scheme have come under fire after pharmacists highlighted 'inaccuracies' in its list of participating pharmacies published in daily newspapers this morning.

Age Action is urging all older people who are on regular medication to take steps to ensure they are not adversely affected by the pharmacists’ dispute by some pharmacists, the charity said in a statement today.