James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To correct what the Deputy said, the colleges are not regulating this and have no role in regulating it. What they have a role in is in providing guidelines for best clinical practice. The reason that is not in the Bill is because best clinical practice has no status in law. Second, it is clear under section 11(3) that the HSE shall, in addition to appointing medical practitioners duly identified by it for appointment to the review panel, request the various colleges to nominate medical practitioners as well. It is both together. The other argument I made still stands. In the case of non-co-operation by the colleges, the HSE may go further and appoint the entire review panel to ensure there are sufficient people on the panel to ensure a woman has the appropriate number of individuals to have available to her in the event of a review. I cannot make it any clearer.