The country's pharmacists have claimed there will be a greater level of drug errors for patients if international pharmacy companies take control of Irish chemists.
The Competition Authority has rejected the claim, and has accused the Irish Pharmaceutical Union of 'scaremongering'.
It is a year since the regulations controlling the pharmacy sector were ruled to be illegal, and the Department of Health set up a review group to make recommendations for future legislation.
Since then, the sector has lobbied hard to ensure that in future, only pharmacists can own pharmacies, and that bigger chains of pharmacies cannot take over.
Today, the Pharmaceutical Union hosted a seminar in Dublin which was attended by politicians, Department of Health officials and pharmacists to hear the views of experts about the international experience of competition.
As expected, the attendance heard that community pharmacies provided the best service.
The Pharmaceutical Union wants Ireland to follow the European model where ownership is kept in the hands of the pharmacists. The Competition Authority disagrees.
The Review Group's report is expected by the end of the month. It is likely to recognise overseas educational qualifications and back the ending of location restrictions.
The question of ownership is likely to take longer to settle.
