Cowen urged to end drug scheme dispute
As hundreds of patients, some of them elderly, queued until the early hours of the morning to access urgent medicine, Ms Harney finally broke her silence saying she would not negotiate with pharmacists and threatened legal action against them.
On RTÉ’s Prime Time last night she said: “This is the law. It was enacted by the Oireachtas and was done because of the emergency situation this country finds itself in. This is now the law of the land.”
Ms Harney’s approach was described as “fascist” by Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly, who said it was time for Taoiseach Brian Cowen to “come out of his bunker” and “take leadership on the issue”.
The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) last night expressed “grave concerns” that someone may die in the coming days as a result of the dispute. IPU president Liz Hoctor said pharmacists would restore full services by the weekend if a third party were appointed to review the €133 million cut in fees paid by the Government under the state drug scheme: “The ball is now in the minister’s court.”
In a statement released by Ms Harney earlier in the day: “Mediation is not possible, both because of the clear provisions of competition law and because of the courts testing the legislation in the autumn.
“Where there are instances of the service not continuing in full by pharmacists who are in contract, the HSE must, on behalf of patients, use every possible means, including enforcement through the courts, to ensure contracts are implemented in full.
“The Government has brought in new and strengthened legislation to ensure patient safety and professional standards of pharmacy. I have the utmost confidence that the regulator, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, will carry out all its functions fully.”
Dr Reilly accused the minister of “heavy-handedness” and “bloody-mindedness”.
Public anger over the pharmacists’ dispute is likely to cause more problems for Mr Cowen’s government, which lost its majority this week when two Fianna Fáil TDs, Jimmy Devins and Eamon Scanlon, withdrew support in protest at the closure of the breast cancer unit at Sligo General Hospital.
They bring to five the number of TDs who withdrew government support in recent months over health policy.
Backbenchers will face further pressure as more stories emerge of patient suffering because of the pharmacists’ withdrawal from the state community drugs schemes.
Hundreds of patients were left queuing until 1am yesterday at an emergency dispensary set up at Carnadonagh, Donegal.
One elderly cancer patient has been left without her medication since Saturday, according to the IPU.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
