In a recent announcement, Minister for Health, Mary Harney, ruled out the option of mediation to help solve the on-going dispute with respect to the pharmacists in Ireland. It’s a great shame to see the government turn its back on this option of mutually resolving the dispute with an opposition that appears more than willing to enter talks and progress to a solution. It’s especially disappointing considering the government is so much in favour of mediation for community matters and employment disputes and more outward facing situations but apparently not so for matters concerning the government.

As a qualified, professional mediator it is disheartening to hear an official line from the government, to this effect. When one side of a dispute is willing to engage in talks to end the conflict, for the public good, I would certainly encourage the other side to take up the slack and engage. This matter involving the pharmacists is affecting a great number of people, both customers and business people and is resulting in a lot of negative publicity for an already strained image of the health service in Ireland. Refusing to talk a la the mode of “we do not negotiate with terrorists” is incredibly heavy handed and disappointing. Mediation is not a concession nor an admission of defeat but rather, at minimum, a chance to open out the issues at hand and project possible solutions. In my opinion taking up the option of mediation at this stage would greatly help the situation and reduce a great deal of suffering on both sides and on their tertiary dependents.