Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am concerned about Deputy Denis Naughten's proposal to delete the phrase "as far as practicable". Perhaps because of the common use of phraseology, there is sometimes a misunderstanding of what it is intended to convey. It means what it says - whatever can be done "as far as practicable". The amendment does not go beyond the impractical and I do not know that is necessarily what the Deputy hopes to achieve. The section is strong as it stands.

With regard to amendment No. 10, in particular, during the committee hearings all of the medical practitioners were in no doubt as to their obligations and I do not know that the Bill is in any way weak in conveying and substantiating the obligations in place, including the constitutional requirements. Given all of the evidence presented, the amendments do not address the role of medical practitioners, nor are they intended to convey a message to those who will be the front-line decision makers; they address a different audience entirely. They are superfluous and unnecessary because everybody understands the import of the focus and context of the Bill. I have no doubt that the obligations are well understood.