Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 July 2026
210. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the key measures taken to improve pharmacy services since January 2025; her priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51932/26]
View answerCommunity pharmacies are a phenomenal asset and a major part of our health infrastructure. They are embedded in their communities. They are the first, and often easiest, place to go for trusted advice and practical support for patients. In this context, the Government is committed to expanding the role of pharmacists and ensuring that patients can access a wider range of services closer to home.
Since January 2025, my Department has undertaken significant measures to strengthen and expand community pharmacy services as part of the Government’s commitment to improve access to healthcare in the community.
The Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025, negotiated between the Department of Health, the HSE and the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), has provided a strategic framework for the development of community pharmacy supported by €75 million in additional investment, including €25 million in 2025 and €50 million in 2026. The Agreement is designed to expand pharmacy services, support sustainable funding, modernise service delivery and enhance integration with the wider health system
Key measures introduced and being advanced include:
Common Condition Service: This service was publicly launched in January 2026. The service enables community pharmacists to assess and treat patients with 8 specified common conditions in accordance with approved clinical protocols. Uptake of the service is strong, with over 90% of pharmacies delivering the service in their communities. This service improves timely access to care, reduces pressure on GP and urgent care services, and makes greater use of the clinical expertise of pharmacists within local communities. My Department has implemented structures to allow evaluation of this service later this year, and to ensure evidence-based expansion of the service in due course.
Contraception Service: I recently published The Health (Provision of Contraception Prescribing Service in Retail Pharmacy Businesses) Bill 2026. This Bill sets out the enabling provisions needed to further expand the role of pharmacists, empowering them to provide contraception prescribing services for the first time, and play a more integrated role in patient care. If enacted, the new Bill will enable women eligible for the Free Contraception Scheme (FCS) to access the pharmacy prescription service, free of charge. Patients not eligible under the FCS (for example, women aged 36 and over) will be able to access the new prescription service, subject to a locally determined fee.
Medicines Optimisation Support Service (MOSS): From June 1st 2026, a new patient-centred medicines optimisation support framework was introduced. This service is designed to strengthen supports for vulnerable cohorts of patients with medical cards. Under this service, funding has been provided to support patients with targeted medicines optimisation. These changes are expected to decrease administrative burden on pharmacists, while allowing them to apply a patient-focused model in supporting patients to better manage their medication.
Vaccination Services: Delivery of vaccination services through pharmacy, and as part of schools’ programmes continues to grow. As of 1st May 2026, eligible medical card patients over the age of 65 can now avail of pneumococcal vaccination services free of charge, at their local pharmacy. This initiative improves access to this vaccine for patients across the country.
My Department is currently engaging with the Health Research Board with a view to commencing research to inform the potential future expansion of pharmacy-based vaccination services in Ireland.
Health Promotion/Wellness Hubs:
Community pharmacies are uniquely placed to support health promotion and disease prevention, with highly accessible locations, extended opening hours and as trusted healthcare professionals embedded within local communities. Through their daily engagement with patients, pharmacists play an important role in promoting healthy behaviours, supporting early intervention, and improving public awareness of key health issues.
In recognition of the considerable impact pharmacies can make in improving population health, the following HSE health campaigns have been or will be delivered in 2026:
• National Condom Distribution Service: This service enables pharmacies to distribute free condoms and lubricant sachets to population groups who may be at increased risk of unplanned pregnancy, HIV or STIs. Phased roll-out of this service commenced in February. All pharmacies will be invited to participate in this service by September 2026.
• Alcohol and Pregnancy Awareness Campaign – April 2026.
• Men's Health Campaign – June 2026.
• National Bowel Screening Programme through Pharmacy – Pharmacies will be able to opt-in to deliver this service . This service sees pharmacies uptake promotion of the bowel screening programme at population level as well as enhancing access, by supporting individuals to participate in the programme. Full implementation of the service is planned for early 2027.
• Winter Vaccination Campaign – scheduled for September/October 2026.
Additional grant funding has been made available to support pharmacists in undertaking the training and professional development required for their expanding role. This investment will support community pharmacies in contributing to key public health priorities, including illness prevention, the promotion of screening programmes, health promotion initiatives and early intervention services, helping to improve health outcomes for individuals and communities.
Medicines Disposal Service: A new National Medicines Return Service will shortly commence in pharmacies across Ireland. This disposal service will allow the public to return unused or expired medicines for safe disposal to their local pharmacy. This will ensure protection of our environment, reduce the risk of suicide and self-harm in our communities, and help protect against antimicrobial resistance in our society. This service will be publicly launched in the coming months and is supported by dedicated annual funding.
Electronic Record Keeping Legislation: In April this year, I signed new legislation to enable greater electronic record keeping in pharmacy practice. This legislation provides for an alternative to manual, paper-based processes, and allows pharmacies to maintain records digitally, where appropriate software safeguards are in place. These measures will significantly reduce administrative burden in pharmacy practice, enabling pharmacists to spend more time with patients, delivering clinical care.
Strategic Collaboration Group: This group, as set out under the Community Pharmacy Agreement, comprises the HSE, the Department of Health, and the Irish Pharmacy Union. It provides a structured forum for dialogue and joint consideration of strategic issues shaping the future of community pharmacy in Ireland. Two Meetings of the Strategic Collaboration Group have been held to date.
All of these reforms will help ensure that patients can access safe, convenient and timely healthcare services through their local pharmacy while supporting wider health system capacity and resilience.
