Most of us agree that blister packs are an essential and basic tool for improving medication management and safety. They can be the difference between taking medicines safely or risking missed doses, double dosing, or the all-too-familiar dangerous confusion for the recipient. We have all come across people who have been in that situation. I came across a case recently of a 94-year-old woman, where we did not know whether she had taken a double dose. The woman was distraught and upset and her family felt even worse. She ended up in hospital the next day. When one is caring for a loved one with dementia or other conditions that can cause cognitive or mobility issues, blister packs are not an optional extra but a necessity. Blister packs without subsidisation can cost an individual in the range of €20 to €40 a month. This is what people are telling us. The Minister asks where we are coming up with that number. These figures are coming to us from people. I do not know how much it is going to cost and clearly the Minister does not know, which is a problem for her and the Government. The Government's announcement that it was to withdraw blister pack supports from vulnerable people at the most expensive time of year for households and in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis reflects again how out of touch it is when it comes to real-life issues. The decision at the weekend is for a pause only. It goes back to the question of why this was not sorted out in negotiations with the IPU. That is the big question everyone is asking here tonight. The Department of Health is famous for announcing that it is going to go ahead with something and that it has the agreement of doctors. Doctors might not know about it but the Department announces it in the media. Clearly, this situation seems to be the same. This was something the Government just pushed. It did not think it was an issue and now ordinary people will be left with the problem.

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