Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill and compliment Deputy Kelleher on bringing it forward. The legislation covers direct payments. To what extent are indirect or hidden payments, such as holidays abroad, covered in the legislation? Does the legislation apply directly across the board? Are there areas that do not come under its remit? In some locations, it might still be possible to circumnavigate legislation. Will this new legislation thwart such an activity?

In terms of the pharmaceutical sector, I presume the legislation identifies and covers instances whereby free and extensive amounts of samples are provided to a practitioner. I ask without meaning to get at GPs. It is possible that a person could circumnavigate the rules in that fashion. Maybe the drug companies or manufacturers of certain equipment may make a contra deal whereby it appears that the donor owed the recipient for implied services.