Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Deputy Howlin. It is nice to see a Bill moving through the various Stages. From an Opposition perspective, we very often put forward Bills knowing that they may not travel very effectively through the legislative process and may at times not be legislatively sound. At the same time, however, they stimulate the debate and move the system to react and respond to the proposals being put forward. From that point of view, I want to congratulate the Deputy in that context.

As Deputy O'Reilly stated, the very least that people in crisis pregnancy should be entitled to is correct information that is sound in its medical aspects and professionally delivered. The Bill seeks to amend section 4 of the 2005 Act. In that Act, professions are primarily regulated by the setting of qualification standards. However, in the Deputy's proposal, it will not be set or regulated by qualification standards. It will be measured by the activity and the advice offered. Would that broaden the scope out to the point where there could be several professions and professional entities included beyond crisis pregnancy counselling, for example, a nurse or a GP, who would also very often give advice on these issues? In the Deputy's discussions with the Department, is there a way around that? Let us be very clear: many of the entities that we would like to regulate are ones that pop up and move on. While the Bill has very noble aspirations, there are, and I hope that the Deputy can accept this, huge technical difficulties in the context of achieving its aim. Is the Deputy willing to engage in a co-operative way to see this Bill amended to the point at which it would do what the Deputy and the committee would like it to do?