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

The Bill states: " 'gift' means any voluntary transfer of money, grant for research, bursary, service or property without compensation above the value of €600.". Again, there is an acknowledgement in terms of the broad debate around the Bill that there may be a requirement to consider the matter in more detail on Committee Stage. Like everything else, having sponsored a Private Members' Bill, unlike the Government, we do not have access to the Office of the Attorney General. I am quite sure that there may be a need to tighten the provision. Primarily, the legislation seeks to ensure that a gift is defined in such a way that companies cannot circumvent the provision. The legislation does not imply that people continually abuse the provision. We simply want to give confidence by including direct payments, gifts and other transfers of value.

It is critically important that we continue to encourage and foster innovation, research and development, close collaboration between clinicians and universities, and that pharmaceutical companies conduct research and produce medical devices, drugs and medicines, which is all very positive. My legislation simply seeks to bring transparency to the heart of such work.

One cannot legislate for ethics and morality. People are obliged to behave in an ethical manner. In terms of contra deals, some of these are already governed in legislation, particularly under the criminal code.