Dear Member,We are awaiting the announcement of the date for the 2024 general election, with all indications suggesting that Friday 29 November will be announced by the Taoiseach next week after the Finance Bill has passed all stages of the Oireachtas. In the interim, the IPU is actively engaging with all major political parties to ensure that community pharmacy issues are prioritised. While our continued engagement with candidates is vital, it is equally important for you to seize this opportunity to connect with politicians in your area.
Get Involved Before Election Day
We encourage all members to engage with local candidates and help make community pharmacy support a key issue in the election. We have provided materials to assist you in communicating our message locally including an Election Campaign Message Sheet with our five key asks, outlining the most pressing concerns in our sector, which you can access here. A briefing document containing further information on our key asks is available here.
Hard copies of these documents with other support materials including decals have also been posted out to you and should be in your pharmacy shortly.
How You Can Make a Difference
- Leverage Your Connections
If you are politically active or know any candidates, reach out to them directly to discuss the key challenges facing community pharmacies. - Utilise Our Resources
Use the Election Campaign Message Sheet outlining our five key asks:
- Investment in Core Dispensing Services
- Streamlining Community Pharmacy HSE Reimbursement Processes
- Proactive Management of Medicine Shortages
- Implementing Expert Taskforce Recommendations
- Developing a National Strategy for Pharmaceutical Care
Keep copies of this sheet to share with candidates during canvassing, at home, or in your pharmacy. When handing over the sheet, ask the candidate to confirm that they will communicate our key issues to their party headquarters.A decal has been posted to all pharmacies as part of the election materials, which is available for display in your pharmacy window or on your car to further amplify our message and we would encourage you to use it. The more visible our message the stronger our campaign.
- Use Social Media
If you meet a candidate, take a photo with them and share it on social media using the hashtags #SupportPharmacy and #GE2024. Tag the IPU’s account:
- X (formerly Twitter): @IrishPharmacy
- Facebook: @IrishPharmacyUnion
- LinkedIn: Irish Pharmacy Union
- Instagram: @irishpharmacyunion
All materials including details on lobbying politicians are available on a dedicated Election 2024 page on the IPU website here.
Keep Engaging
Candidates will be active in the community over the coming weeks, so make sure to connect with them and advocate for the pharmacy sector. The election materials will guide your conversations.
This election presents a crucial opportunity to highlight the essential role of community pharmacy at both local and national levels. By raising our concerns and aspirations, we can emphasise how pharmacies can help alleviate capacity issues in the healthcare system if properly resourced and fully utilised.
Stay Updated
We will continue to provide updates as the campaign progresses. Please check the IPU website regularly for the latest information. If you have any questions or need further details about the election materials, feel free to contact Jim Curran at jim.curran@ipu.ie or Ailbhe O’Briain at ailbhe.obriain@ipu.ie.Thank you for your continued support. Your voice is key to ensuring community pharmacy remains a central topic in the election.
Kind Regards,
Tom Murray
IPU President
