Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 26th February, 2021.

I, STEPHEN DONNELLY, Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 32 (as amended by section 16 of the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (No. 3 of 2006)) of the Irish Medicines Board Act 1995 (No. 29 of 1995), hereby make the following regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2021.

(2) The collective citation “the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003 to 2021” includes these Regulations.

2. In these Regulations “Principal Regulations” means the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003 ( S.I. No. 540 of 2003 ).

3. Regulation 4(1) (as amended by Regulation 3 of the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 ( S.I. No. 98 of 2020 )) of the Principal Regulations is amended by substituting for the definition of “registered optometrist” the following:

“‘registered optometrist’ means a person registered in the register of optometrists of the Optical Registration Board established under section 36(1)(a) of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (No. 27 of 2005);”.

4. Regulation 4F(b) (inserted by Regulation 3 of the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) (No. 7) Regulations 2020 ( S.I. No. 698 of 2020 )) of the Principal Regulations is amended—

(a) in subparagraph (v), by deleting “or”,

(b) by inserting after subparagraph (vi) the following subparagraphs:

“(vii) a registered optometrist, or

(viii) a registered dentist,”, and

(c) by inserting “or, in the case of a regulatory body that does not have legal authority to approve such training, as approved by the Health Service Executive following consultation with the regulatory body,”.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

23 February, 2021.

STEPHEN DONNELLY,

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations amend the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003.

The purpose of these Regulations is to add registered optometrists and registered dentists to the list of professionals who may supply and administer Covid-19 vaccinations.

These Regulations may be cited as the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2021.