As the Minister well knows, blister packs are a medical necessity for many vulnerable people. They ensure that people can independently administer their own medications, reduce the risk of dose errors and avoid unnecessary hospitalisations. The cruel decision to withdraw the reimbursement of blister packs has caused deep anxiety, with many people receiving letters outlining that they will have to start paying to maintain this essential service. Many constituents have been in touch with me to outline their concerns, and their testimonies capture the scale of this issue. One woman wrote to tell me that this initiative makes no sense to her, as a nurse. She said that the elderly and vulnerable patients for whom she cares are most often taking multiple medications that need to be given in the correct dose at the correct time. She said that the risk of error by omission or overdose can have dangerous consequences and that this is another example of Government short-sightedness. Another professional, who works in community mental health, wrote to me to say that what this measure will do is alarming. My correspondent stated that there is a significant risk of the people they care for administering the incorrect doses, becoming unwell and needing to attend an accident and emergency department. They said that this is the last thing that a person with mental health challenges needs to deal with. This is an outrageous decision that will impact the most vulnerable in society. Nobody should be priced out of safe medicine management, but that is what will happen if the Minister does not see sense. We are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. It is unforgivable to target the most vulnerable in our society. We are talking about tens of thousands of people, including people with conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease, facing additional charges of up to €50 per month for these packs. This issue may have been delayed by three months, but there is no certainty thereafter. The Minister needs to commit now to continuing this vital service and ensuring that these packs are provided free of charge into the future. She needs to do the right thing.

Sentiment score: -0.18