We have seen some very bad policy decisions made time and time again by this Government but this latest stunt is the most thoughtless. Over the weekend, amid the confusion and chaos, many people got in touch with me to tell me how this was going to affect them or their loved one. Vulnerable users of the blister packs such as older people managing multiple medications, people living with early-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s disease or people with arthritis find blister packs really handy. This will directly affect their health and safety. One woman in north Kildare named Maureen told me that her daughter has cerebral palsy and lives independently with 24-hour support. Maureen used to organise her daughter's medication in the little pill boxes for many years but now the home care provider has mandated that staff can only use medication from blister packs. This leaves her daughter worried that she might have to stop her medication, give up independent living and move into a nursing home, which would be a lot more expensive with her already inadequate disability allowance. These charges are punishing those who want to live independently. It is our most vulnerable who will be affected by this. This will further push them into poverty by a Government that is really testing the limits of just how much they can squeeze out of them. Sinn Féin raised this concern back in October. We knew this was going to affect people. I listened to the contribution of the Aire. I urgently ask the Minister of State to reverse, not just pause, this decision to withdraw funding for this essential service and give our people peace of mind over Christmas. I was a community first responder. It is really handy, if you are attending somebody's house, that the first thing you can check is their blister pack. You will then have a fair idea of what medication they are on. It is a false economy to withdraw this.

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