ALONE, the national organisation supporting older people to age at home, has said it is deeply concerned about changes to the Community Pharmacy Agreement that came into effect in January 2026. These changes limit phased dispensing to only certain high- risk medicines.
Until now, phased dispensing allowed older people and those with mobility, memory, or reading difficulties to receive their tablets in blister packs or trays, making it easier and safer to take the right medication every day.
By the end of 2025, ALONE had supported nearly 46,000 older people through its services. Most (96 per cent) take daily medication, and one-in-three report financial challenges. Many are already living on very limited incomes: Twenty-six per cent of older people in Ireland live alone, and 13 per cent experience income poverty, a figure that would have risen to 21 per cent without recent cost-of-living supports.
Under the new rules, older people who rely on blister packs will face monthly charges of €10-to-€50 for medicines no longer covered. These costs will be unaffordable for many. Blister packs are proven to improve medication safety and support those with memory or physical challenges.
While the Department estimates a €20 million saving, ALONE warns this decision will hit hardest those with chronic conditions, dementia, and complex medication needs — putting safe-medication management at risk.
Seán Moynihan, CEO of ALONE, said: “Older people already face significant financial and health challenges. Introducing new costs for blister packs will put them at risk of medication errors and poorer health outcomes. Between 10 per cent and up to one-third of all older people’s hospital admissions are already linked to over- or under-adherence to medication. Adding financial barriers will only worsen this situation. We urge the Government to re- engage with the Irish Pharmacy Union
to ensure older people are not burdened with costs they cannot afford.”
ALONE is calling for immediate engagement between Government and the Irish Pharmacy Union on the cost of blister packs, and a commitment to protect vulnerable older people from additional charges that compromise their health and independence.
“Ireland’s population is ageing rapidly,” Moynihan added. “We need policies that support safe, affordable medication management — not measures that create new barriers for those most in need.”
