Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also wish to extend my thanks to Ms Mary Lindsay and to congratulate Mr. Tony O'Brien. I welcome the significant publication of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013 and look forward to our consideration of it.

The Minister is right to acknowledge his personal initiatives on the tobacco front as well as the Department's. I have two concerns in this regard. The first has been raised in the Seanad, where my group tabled a Private Members' motion on lobbying by industry. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, took the motion. The motion also considered our role as parliamentarians and whether we should sign a pledge or code about meeting certain industries, for example, alcohol and tobacco. Everyone was comfortable discussing lobbyists, but not our role as parliamentarians. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Reilly's opinions. The World Health Organization, WHO, convention on lobbying by the tobacco industry is clear, but we do not advise parliamentarians of it.

Senator Crown will undoubtedly join us. I co-sponsored a Bill with him on my second area of concern, that being, the Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012, which covers issues such as smoking in cars. The Seanad debated it in May 2012. We worked seriously with the Department. We are constantly told that the Bill is very close to beginning Committee Stage. Will the Minister outline a timeline? Will it be taken in September or October?

I wish to ask about two of my submitted questions. The first is on-----