Tugann scannal na spuaicphacaí léargas soiléir ar mheon an Rialtais reatha. Is Rialtas é nach bhfuil clú aige céard atá ag tarlú i saol an ghnáthdhuine agus atá sásta an costas a bhaineann le seirbhísí bunúsacha sláinte a bhrú ar dhaoine nach bhfuil in acmhainn íoc astu. Nuair a fhaigheann an Rialtas an deis, déanann sé iarracht an t-ualach a chur ar an ngnáthdhuine go ciúin, i ngan fhios d’éinne, agus gan aon mheas ar an tionchar daonna. Ní ghlacfaimid leis sin. Beart daonna a bhí i gcóras na spuaicphacaí in am na flúirse, ach is cinneadh cruálach agus iomlán mífhéaráilte atá i gceist anois. Caithfidh an Rialtas athbhreithniú práinneach a dhéanamh ar an gcomhaontú cogasaíochta pobail agus aisíocaíocht a thabhairt bunaithe ar riachtanais, ní ar ábaltacht íocaíochta. These monitored dosage systems are not a luxury. They are a core patient safety service relied on by older people, people with disabilities and those managing complex or multiple medications. The decision now to target the pharmacies exposes how out of touch this Government is. Constituents contacted my office shocked and afraid about what the new year will bring. One man wrote to me. Michael and his wife are both pensioners. Each of them takes seven tablets a day for conditions, including blood pressure issues, mental health needs and recovery from a recent heart attack. Their pharmacist has now told them that they will face an extra €50 per month. This is money that they simply do not have. At the most expensive time of the year in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, patients now find themselves having to pay for a safety-critical service regardless of income. There is no justification for that. The evidence is clear: removing access to monitored dosage systems will worsen medication adherence, increase hospital admissions and deepen health inequality. Community pharmacists are uniquely placed to prevent that harm, but they cannot continue to provide this service at a loss. Healthcare should be based on clinical need, not ability to pay. This House should stand with the most vulnerable and not abandon them.

Sentiment score: -0.13