The announcement by the Government to delay until later in 2026 its proposal to withdraw funding from January for medication blister packs issued by pharmacies clearly shows that the Government has bowed to the immense political and public backlash to this very unpopular proposal. However, kicking it down the road is not a solution to a problem of its own creation. It is outrageous that the Government wants to put a charge on such packs. It is also outrageous that even those holding medical cards will be liable to pay the charge. Who are the people who will be most affected by such a charge? They will be the people who will benefit most from having their medication dispensed from blister packs, such as elderly patients and those with memory-related difficulties like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. It will also impact individuals who have complex medication regimes, for example, cancer patients, who realistically can have a dozen or more tablets to take for anything up to three times a day. Blister packs are especially useful for caregivers who can check whether the medication required by those they are caring for is taken in a timely manner. I have already had a number of calls to my constituency office from very distressed constituents, who are already struggling in this cost-of-living crisis. Many are on long-term medication and the thought of having to pay anything up to an extra €50 for their medication is causing them great anxiety. This stress and anxiety are not alleviated by the Government deferring the payment until later in 2026. It cannot have this hanging over the heads of some of the most vulnerable in our community. The Government should do the decent thing and reverse this proposal, which has proved itself as popular as the infamous proposal to tax children's shoes by a previous Fine Gael Government in 1982.

Sentiment score: -0.07