Pharmacists cutting hours and closing due to staff shortages 

Dermot Twomey, president of the Irish Pharmacy Union, said he knows of colleagues closing up shop, as they cannot staff the premises.  Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Pharmacies are cutting back their hours including shutting at weekends, with some facing closure due to staff shortages, a leading Cork pharmacist has warned.

The shortage is so acute that locum pharmacists offering cover for sick leave can charge up to €100 an hour, leaving small businesses deciding whether to pay or close up temporarily.