Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 September 2018
147. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if the status of pharmaceutical assistants following recent recommendations made by an organisation (details supplied) will be protected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39232/18]
View answerPharmaceutical Assistants are a grade of pharmacy professionals who are permitted, under section 30(1) of the Pharmacy Act 2007, to act on behalf of a registered pharmacist during the “temporary absence” of the registered pharmacist.
Section 30(2) of the Pharmacy Act 2007 permits the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) to make rules as to:
1. What may or may not be done by a registered pharmaceutical assistant when acting on behalf of a registered pharmacist; and
2. What constitutes the temporary absence of a registered pharmacist.
These Rules are made by way of Statutory Instrument requiring the formal consent of the Minister for Health.
Following a public consultation process, which ran from 17 July until 14 August 2018, the Council of the PSI approved the draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacist from Pharmacy) Rules 2018 at its meeting on 20 September 2018.
My role in relation to this process is limited to the consideration of any such Rules once submitted for my approval. No rules have yet been submitted to me by the PSI.
I must consider any Rules presented to me from a fair and impartial perspective, without prejudice or prejudgement. I await the receipt of the Rules for my consideration from the PSI and until that time, I am unfortunately not in a position to comment any further on the matter raised.
