Pharmacy Act 2007

Amendment of Poisons Act 1961.

74.— (1) Section 14 of the Poisons Act 1961 is amended by inserting the following after subsection (3)—

“(3A) The Minister may not, however, declare a substance whose sole use is as a medicinal product within the meaning of section 2 (1) of the Pharmacy Act 2007 to be a poison for the purposes of the regulations made under subsection (2) or any provision of those regulations.”.

(2) The Poisons Act 1961 is amended by inserting the following after section 18—

“Keeping of open shop for sale of poisons.

18A.— (1) A person who, otherwise than in compliance with subsections (3) or (4), keeps open shop for the sale of poisons commits an offence.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to the keeping of open shop by a person of a class specified in regulations under section 14 who is keeping open shop in accordance with those regulations.

(3) This subsection is complied with if—

(a) the person referred to in subsection (1) is—

(i) a registered pharmacist,

(ii) a registered druggist,

(iii) the personal representative of a person who, at the time of his or her death, was lawfully keeping open shop for the sale of poisons,

(iv) the Official Assignee or committee of a person lawfully keeping open shop for the sale of poisons who is adjudicated bankrupt or becomes an arranging debtor within the meaning of section 3 of the Bankruptcy Act 1988 or becomes of unsound mind, or

(v) a corporate body,

and

(b) the shop is personally managed by a registered pharmacist or registered druggist.

(4) The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland shall, with the approval of the Minister, make such rules as it considers appropriate for the purpose of facilitating the operation of and compliance with subsections (1) to (4); and those rules may include provision for—

(a) the keeping of records in relation to the premises where open shop is kept for the sale of poisons and in relation to persons employed in such shops, and

(b) the furnishing of statements and returns.

(5) Subsection (4) of section 11 of the Pharmacy Act 2007 shall apply in relation to rules made under subsection (4) of this section as it applies to rules made under subsections (2) or (3) of that section.

(6) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall, on summary conviction, be liable to the same penalty as is provided for, on summary conviction, in section 72 (1) of the Pharmacy Act 2007.

(7) Section 72 (2) and (3) of the Pharmacy Act 2007 apply in respect of an offence under this section as they apply to an offence under that Act.”.