The Health Service Executive is holding talks with pharmacists today in an effort to resolve a row over the medical card scheme.
The Irish Pharmaceutical Union is angry at the HSE's unilateral decision to reduce payments to pharmacists for dispensing medicine under the scheme.
The union says this will undermine the viability of many pharmacies and make it more difficult for patients to get medicines when they need them.
It also says the entire medical card scheme could "die on its feet" as a result of the decision.