Only weeks remain until the 2025 IPU National Pharmacy Conference on 10 May in one of Kilkenny’s finest hotels, the Lyrath Estate Hotel, which will provide a stunning setting for this year’s event.  

The theme of our 2025 conference is ‘Navigating the Evolving Role of Community Pharmacy — Getting the Balance Right’, featuring a stellar lineup of expert speakers delivering industry insights and sparking engaging debates on a wide range of topics that directly impact the daily lives of community pharmacists.  

We are delighted to confirm that Dr Ronan Glynn will deliver our Keynote address on the day. Dr Glynn is Health Sector Partner at EY Ireland, and prior to joining EY Dr Glynn worked as Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health in Ireland was a member of the team tasked with leading the national response to COVID. Dr Glynn will deliver his talk on ‘Investing for Long-term Improvement in our Health and Healthcare System — Role for Primary Care and Community Care.’ 

We have a jam-packed agenda with a combination of individual speakers, two panel discussions, a motivational speaker, and of course the highly anticipated ‘Great Debate’ in the afternoon. Attendees will also have plenty of opportunities to network with peers and explore the wide range of companies supporting the pharmacy sector in the Exhibition Hall. 

Proceedings will kick off with an address by IPU President Tom Murray who will welcome our MC for the day, Conall O Móráin, the prominent business broadcaster. Mr Ó Moráin will then invite our Keynote speaker Dr Glynn to the stage. Following this we will be provided with an insight into the ‘Importance of ICT System Integration — Transforming Community Care with Lessons from Radiology and Emergency Medicine’ by Darren Stephens, SVP and Commercial Lead UKI, EU and Strategic Partnerships at Radiobotics.  

We will then introduce two new sessions to the conference agenda in the form of panel discussions, the first focusing on ‘Collaboration and Coordination — The Importance of this in Managing Medicine Shortages’. This panel will consist of representatives from key organisations including Paul Neill, MFI President, Patrick Wadding, AMI Chairman, Jim McGrath IPHA Director of Commercial Policy, and our own Caoimhe McAuley, IPU Vice-President.

First up after lunch is our not to be missed motivational talk on ‘Selfcare Care and Emotional Resilience’ which will be delivered by the inspirational Dr Harry Barry, a session we should all benefit from. Dr Barry is a highly respected Irish author and medic, with over three decades of experience as a GP and is a regular contributor to national radio on the topic of mental health and resilience skills.

Our evening’s entertainment will commence in the picturesque Manor House rooms of the Lyrath Estate Hotel with our pre-dinner drinks reception at 7.00pm. This will be followed by our IPU President’s Dinner*, which will bring us back to the main conference area. The night will be rounded off with a traditional music session.  

(*Black-tie event) 

Don’t miss this great lineup of speakers; book your attendance and President’s Dinner tickets by logging on to ipu.ie/events, today.  

IPU AGM 

The IPU AGM 2025 will take place at 7.00pm on Friday 9 May in the Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny. Fully paid-up members of the IPU can book their free AGM attendance.