Ms Margaret Dromey:

One final thing, about the lead-in time, I agree that there is the issue of people dying and missing the boat. I appeal to legislators to speed up the introduction of the legislation because it will probably be quite some time before this goes though the House and meanwhile people will be passing on. It will probably be introduced within a year, but during that year there is nothing to stop people with services from linking up. There is some protection in the year for people who are reluctant but it does not mean that where there is agreement people cannot meet during that period. There is no requirement to wait for a year.