Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 25 September 2019

Select Committee on Health

Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee Stage

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

One of the basic principles underpinning the justice system is that justice should not only be done but should be seen to be done. We can debate that principle in this forum or any other, but that is the accepted principle on which this section was based. There are concerns, which the justice system has addressed by making exceptions in childcare cases and so on. No amendment has been proposed to this section to which I can speak. Under the existing Medical Practitioners Act, cases are held in public. We do not propose to change that. It is the norm. This section proposes to grant the fitness to practise committee the power to order certain information regarding a hearing not to be published. It introduces a degree of latitude to the pre-existing legislation and allows for situations where the fitness to practise committee can decide whether such information is in the public interest. I hope that addresses the Deputy's concern.

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