Madam, - Congratulations to Kevin Myers who has penned (September 26th) a wonderfully thought-provoking piece on the dangers of allowing international supermarkets dominate the retail market in Ireland.
Kevin warns of the danger of allowing the political culture which gave us "Luas, the Red Cow Roundabout, our absurd restaurant licensing ... laws" etc take the key decisions in this area.
He's right. This same culture has also set in chain a series of events which seem designed to crush the life out of small, community-based independent pharmacies and encourage the take over of this critical sector by more profit focused and anonymous companies; where "patient throughput and profitability" will replace "patient care and well-being".
Opinion polls show that the public is crying out for politicians to show leadership and direction. In this context it is hoped that when it comes to the future of pharmacy the Government will not be swayed by consultants whose insights are restricted by their lack of practical experience, e.g. the mad cow roundabout. Let's hope that the Government will follow the example of their EU colleagues and ensure that pharmacy stays in the hands of pharmacists which is in the long- term interests of patients and public health care generally. After all it is the taxpayer who will have to pick up the bill if it all goes wrong. - Yours, etc.,
RICHARD COLLIS, president, Irish Pharmaceutical Union, Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14