Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I must reiterate, categorically, that we are not changing the standards in any way, shape or form. We are not changing the standard that is required in to be admitted onto the specialist register. All we are doing is making provision for a cohort of people who have achieved that standard but who, for a bureaucratic reason rather than a standard, training or experience deficit, were unable to get onto the register. Previous legislation put a five-year time limit in place and they were locked out because they did not get on the register within that period. This provision will give them the opportunity to get on the register but they will still have to attain the same standards and so forth. There is no question that anything we are doing today will lower standards or allow others to get in through the window now. There is certainty about that.

I understand the concerns of the Members opposite and am quite happy to get them a better and more extensive briefing on this particular aspect of the Bill-----